Angelice
by JC-zala
Summary: A past unknown, with secrets to unravel, Orihime Inoue embarks on a journey to seek her destiny and her true identity in the world she once knew, with a man she unconsciously longs for.
1. Rabbit in a Waistcoat? NOT!

**JC:** Heads up, people, coz this story is inspired by various fairy tales. But don't expect any kiddy Disney stuff here, okay? This will contain dark, mature themes along the way. This is my second multi-chaptered UlquiHime fic, which will include other pairings as well. You have no idea how many times I rewrote this. I'm just glad I got everything straight because I was really itching to put this story up on the net. After drawing an art for my previous UlquiHime fanfic, **Love in the Mask**, I've decided to make occasional promotional arts for this story. Of course, I'll inform you guys whenever I posted a new art. Besides, the arts will help you visualize the story a lot clearer, especially when it comes to their outfits.

**Additional Note: **The promotional artwork for this story is up on DA. The link's in my profile.

Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to the amazing Tite Kubo. Some scenes here are inspired by various fairy tales, especially Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.

* * *

**Angelice**

Chapter 01: Rabbit in a Waistcoat? NOT!

Orihime Inoue was the most popular girl in school, far from average when it comes to looks and physique. She was fair-skinned, had always been slender, yet her seemingly delicate features was a direct contrast to her athletic prowess. She was a real head-turner, especially around boys. With a pretty face like hers and long, orange hair, she would stand out anywhere. She wasn't just beauty. Academically she ranked 3rd in the whole freshman year, though she may appear as an airhead at times. In addition to that, she was kind, friendly, and highly sociable. Her sunny disposition allowed her to make friends with ease.

And because of her smiles, nobody ever suspects the loneliness in her heart.

_Everyone knew Sora Inoue had been a good man, a good brother, and a respectable friend until the day he died. He had a tragic childhood. He was raised by an alcoholic father and a prostitute mother. He had moments where he wanted to run away but couldn't. However, when Orihime came to his life, he found his motivation and became more assertive. At the age of 18, he ran away from home, taking Orihime with him. He raised Orihime like any loving parent would. He had taught her to be good, compassionate, and friendly to others. Orihime was always a bundle of joy and no matter how strenuous his job gets, Orihime was there to lift his spirits up. He had lived good 12-years of his life with Orihime. And now, sadly, he was gone. _

_He had died in a car accident, and Orihime had carried him from the site of the accident to a small clinic in their neighborhood. The clinic lacked the materials needed to conduct surgery on him, and the doctor immediately called an ambulance. Orihime sat next to his bedside, holding his hand, begging him to hold on. But the god of death still came and took him away from her. _

_Her big brother was such a handsome man. He was one of the most sought after bachelors in their neighborhood. Orihime even took the pleasure of reading his fan letters they get in the mail and the chocolates every Valentine's Day was a box load. He had been a straight-A student at school and worked odd jobs for income. He was always generous, fair, and helpful, and everyone liked him. _

_Her brother was the only family she had ever known. She was only three years old when they left their parents, so she could hardly remember them. But her brother would never let her live with them. After the harsh experience he had gone through under their roof, he would probably come back from the dead to stop her. _

_With her brother gone, it was hard to continue her life in middle school. It had been 3 weeks since her brother's death, and she had become withdrawn from society. She was known in school for her sunny smiles, but she had lost the ability to even crack a smile on her face. She felt more awful as the days goes by. The government promised to find her a new home and foster parents. However, she wasn't so keen with the idea of living together with another family. _

_"I feel sorry for Inoue-san," a classmate whispered, as Orihime walked slowly down the hall. _

_People have commented from time to time on how friendly and sociable Orihime was. Anyone who had ever gone to school with her knew her. She was an endearing young girl with a great personality. She was always in a sailor-type uniform at school, but during the weekends a lot of people would notice that Asian flower printed skirts and blouses are her preferred choice of clothes. _

_Orihime went to the rooftop, staring up at the sky. She looked like an empty shell. Her body was there, but her mind and soul was elsewhere. The door made a creaking sound, but she didn't turn around to face whoever it was. She stilled herself in the same spot, keeping watch of the clear blue sky. _

_The newcomer was a bespectacled boy about the same age. He had short midnight-blue hair with long bangs split in the middle and framing his face. His sharp eyes were dyed in a beautiful shade of blue. He had a slender body hidden under the Gakuran uniform he was wearing. Overall, he was a good-looking boy. His name was Uryuu Ishida. _

_"Inoue-san…" he called out to her. _

_She looked at him, lifelessly, her hair dancing gracefully to the sudden wind. "Ishida-kun…" _

_"My condolence, Inoue-san," he said. _

_"Thank you, Ishida-kun," she said quietly, lowering her head and clasping her hands together. _

_"Your brother was a great person," Ishida told her, and now thinking of Sora Inoue, he approached Orihime until they were just inches apart. She was such a beautiful and kind girl, and he knew she deserved to be happy. "I'm really sorry that such a tragedy had to happen to him." _

_She looked up at the sky and then back at the person in front of her. "I wonder how it's going to be now without my brother…I don't know if I can…" She wasn't sure how to live her life without a family to turn to. Her brother had been her everything. Sure, she was going to get a new family, but it would still be different. _

_"You've got a friend here, Inoue-san," Ishida said with a warm smile. "You know you can always count on me." _

_Uryuu Ishida was known as an introverted, cold, and taciturn guy. He was the typical lone wolf of the school. Despite this, Ishida has a compassionate and gentlemanly side to him. Orihime first met Ishida during their 1st year of middle school in a rather unprecedented situation. After saving her from bullies, Ishida had looked out for Orihime as though he was her big brother at school, although he tends to be overprotective of her. Though withdrawn, Uryuu does not turn away from his responsibilities. Uryuu's sharp sense and intelligence led others to trust and admire him. _

_She had never said a word to her brother about the bullying at school because she didn't want to worry him. The bullies told her that she was attracting too much attention and they were annoyed by her goody-goody act. Her hair color also contributed to their hatred. It was simple pranks at first, but things got serious as time passed. When the bullies were about to beat her to a pulp, Uryuu intervened and reported them to the teachers. The bullies were then expelled from the school. Ever since that day, Orihime and Uryuu became close friends._

_"We cannot change the past. The only thing we can change is the way we feel about the past," Orihime said, thinking back of the rainy day memory of her brother's accident. "I couldn't save my brother. There was nothing I could do. I felt so helpless." _

_"You can't blame yourself for what happened to him and I'm sure your brother isn't blaming you either." _

_Tears have begun streaming down her face. "He died before my very eyes. He died while smiling at me. He told me to live on and be happy. But…But I'm not sure if I can do that." She wrapped her arms around herself as she dropped onto her knees, trembling miserably. "I don't like this. I feel so awful. I'm really sorry, Ishida-kun….I'm so sorry…Onii-chan…" _

_The girl was breaking apart. He hated seeing her like this. He wanted to see her happy again and he was sure that her brother would want the same thing. "Inoue-san, please don't cry anymore. I don't think your brother would like seeing you like this. He wouldn't like seeing you hurting yourself while holding onto the painful memories." He knelt down to her level and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You don't want to worry your brother now, do you?" A handsome smile graced his lips. _

_She looked up at him and saw the concern in his eyes. It literally struck her heart. "Ishida-kun!" She lunged toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Sudden comfort filled her senses as she nuzzled on his shoulder. For weeks she had endured the pain and suppressed the tears in front of others, even in front of Uryuu, but now she wanted to let it all out. She wanted to cry until she couldn't anymore. "I'm sorry, Ishida-kun," she muttered under her breath. _

_His face couldn't get any redder, but the blush quickly subsided as he embraced her back. "It's going to be all right, Inoue-san," he whispered, gently stroking her back for comfort. "No matter what happens…I'll always be here for you." _

_Uryuu was true to his word. To her utter surprise, the foster family that took her in was actually the Ishida family. Although she had no idea what possessed Uryuu's father to adopt her as his own daughter, she had no complaints. In honor of her brother, she decided to keep the Inoue family name, and Uryuu's father respected that. Her dark, sad mood was lifted during the first few days in the Ishida household. Uryuu had been so welcoming, so hospitable and caring. As days turned into months, she and Uryuu took all opportunities to bond. _

She can't help but feel lonely about her brother. Last night, she dreamt of him again, so she didn't sleep well, even after she was done crying. But when she came down for breakfast that day, she was all smiles. She ate with Uryuu at the table, talking animatedly about her wild imaginations.

At lunch, she and Uryuu sat at a table along with her best friend, Tatsuki Arisawa, a black-belter in karate and quite the tomboy. She had spiky black hair and a slim body which bellied her great strength. She can be temperamental, but was a good friend to Orihime. Tatsuki had practically become her sister.

Orihime was trying to explain the drawing she made for art class, running her imaginations to the fullest, when her eyes caught sight of green. He was sitting in the corner of the cafeteria. He was alone, quiet, and not eating his meal. She knew that person from class, but he wasn't much of a socialite. In fact, he had never made any friends since he transferred last month in November. An air of indifference always surrounded him, though his cold demeanour was considered to be attractive by some of the girls. He had extraordinary green eyes and unruly black hair with a nice shine to it.

She found herself not able to look away.

"Hey, Orihime, why the hell are you staring at that creepy guy?" Tatsuki questioned, taking a bite out of her apple.

She let out a sigh. "He seems lonely..."

Uryuu pushed up his glasses. "Well, he prefers to be alone. Some of our classmates did try to make friends with him, but they all failed. And may I add the fact that he can be brutally blunt with others? His personality makes him disliked by people."

Orihime felt sadder for him. As beautiful and alluring as he can be, he was not accepted in school. Some of the teachers were fond of him though, probably because of his high grades and intelligence. He was currently ranked 4th in the whole year level.

She continued to stare at him until he looked up and met her silver eyes. Gasping, she quickly looked away. _He definitely saw me staring at him! _She swallowed hard and took a peek. She almost shrieked when she met his gaze once more. _He's still looking at me! _Hoping to ease the awkwardness, she started a funny conversation with Tatsuki and Uryuu. She talked about what she was going to make for dinner tonight, which didn't leave a nice impression of Uryuu's and Tatsuki's faces. And during her talk, she sneaked a peek at him from the corner of her eye. To her dismay, he was still staring at her.

Did she have something on her face? Was he angry that she was staring at him earlier? Is this his way of revenge? Making her feel so awkward?

* * *

Nightfall waned and feathers of snow drifted down from the sky. Soon the teeming streets of Karakura Town were buried beneath a fluffy blanket of white.

Orihime wrapped a hand-made pink scarf around her neck and quickened her pace. Though the snow's ephemeral beauty demanded her attention, it didn't stop her body from shivering from the spiteful coldness biting through her thick yellow cardigan. She was very eager to go home, where it was warm and cozy. She sighed quietly as she approached the next corner.

Wind suddenly swooped through her, moaning eerily, sending chills up and down her spine. Swallowing hard, she hurried through the shifting shadows. Something was up, something strange and ominous in the air. She stole a look over her shoulder, already beginning to wish she was already home where it was safe. Her heart pounded in trepidation. She moved on, walking faster than ever. But her quick pace caused her to loose balance, sending her sprawling to her hands and knees.

A shadow then loomed over her. Gasping, she lifted her head and saw a handsome young man looking at her. A wave of relief quickly replaced her anxiety. It was none other than her classmate from school, the one who kept staring at her back at the cafeteria earlier. As he gently cupped her elbow and lifted her to her feet, she found herself gazing up into luscious green eyes that seemed to pierce through her soul.

"The road's straight yet you still fell down," he said. The voice that came out of his lips was as cold as the freezing snow. He had always spoken in such a deadpan manner, as if nothing in the world interested him.

She felt herself blushed. "Um...Yeah...Well, I can be a bit clumsy," she said with a nervous chuckle. "Anyway...Thanks for the help!" A smile had graced her lips. She had never spoken to him before. He would only speak when needed, especially if it's to answer the questions of the teachers.

"I simply find it absurd for a woman such as yourself to walk home without any escort, especially with the danger lurking within the shadows," he said.

"Don't worry! I've taken lessons, so I can take care of myself," she said cheerfully. "Thanks for your concern though." She bowed her head and excused herself before taking two steps past him. But she was pulled to a halt when the man gripped her arm.

"It's not in my nature to rush into things, but I feel that we need to talk, woman," he told her, and she looked up at him in shock. "And you will listen to what I have to say."

Although she tried to resist, his grip was surprisingly strong. "And w-what is it that y-you want to talk about?" she questioned nervously.

"Our world is in dire need of your powers. You will come with me in order to put a stop to the fiasco."

She thought he might confess his love to her, like many boys have done before, or be treated to dinner. But to her utter dismay, her anti-social classmate was telling her that her powers were needed to save their world. What was that about? Confused, she snatched back her hand and backed away from him. "I-I have no idea what you're talking about."

He let out a quiet sigh as he slipped his hands into the pockets of his black coat. "Believe it or not, you are a pure soul blessed with god-like powers. Only you have the ability to defeat the malevolence that has plagued our world."

She vigorously shook her head. "I don't understand what you're saying at all!" she exclaimed, wheeling around to run. Before she could take two steps, her classmate had seized her in a firm grip. She struggled, but her strength was no match for his. "Let me—"

"Silence," he ordered, forcing her back against his chest and clamping her mouth with one hand. His skin was icy cold against her face. "Cease this struggling. It's quite pointless really and my patience has its limits."

True, even with the lessons she took in self-defence, her strength wasn't enough to overpower him. His grip was firm and secured. If she would make one wrong move then her arm would break. But what did she ever do to be treated this way? And why was he telling her stuff as if the whole world depended on her? This was just plain crazy.

"Woman," he whispered into her ear, which gave her a strange sensation. "Come with me. I have grown tired of waiting for you." He moved his hand from her lips, smoothing it down her neck as he removed the scarf. He nestled his chin against the crook of her neck and inhaled her sweet scent. His steamy breath and his tempting lips against her neck were enough to make her feel hot. This was so strange. She felt like she was being drugged. How could a man she barely knew could have this effect?

"What are you trying to do?" she said almost in a whisper. The fear she felt before had been replaced by longing. Nostalgia filled her senses as her heart raced. "Just what are you—"

Not another word, he turned her around and kissed her hard on the lips. At first she was too shocked to respond, but after sensing the urgency of his kiss and the deep, compelling feeling in her heart, she responded, her hands clasping the back of his neck. She wasn't supposed to do this. He was a classmate, not even a friend. Yet, as he lifted her against his body, grabbing the back of her knees and wrapping her legs around his, and pressing her against the pole, her body seemed to crave more and more for his touches and kisses. It was as if her body and soul was familiar with him.

Her mind contradicted the passion in her heart, but the kisses were driving her crazy that she couldn't find it in herself to tell him to stop. He began rubbing his body against her, nuzzling her neck once more, making her moan in pleasure. She lifted his face from her neck and stared deeply into his eyes. With a shaky voice, she said his name, "Ulquiorra..."

"I'll say it once more..." he whispered, crushing his lips against hers, desperate for her taste. "Come with me, woman..." And after that, everything went black in her world.

* * *

_I lust everything about you..._

In the middle of a dark chamber he laid the sleeping beauty on an ivory altar stone. Her silky orange hair lay long and straight over the deep red velvet. He touched her cheek and brushed a finger against her lips. Leaning down, he kissed her softly on the lips. His desire had been painful to him. She was so beautiful, so enticing, but his finely honed instincts kept him in control.

This woman was the key to everything. She was the only one capable of defeating the enemy. She was their world's hope, and he had been assigned to protect her. He must put his yearning aside, no matter how difficult it may be. His orders were clear. He cannot be distracted with his own personal interests.

"Your journey will begin as soon as you will open your eyes," he said, keeping a cold demeanour, despite the reluctant feeling to part with her. He had just gotten her back and now things were about to get serious from this point on. "Claim what you have lost and stay strong, woman. Failure is not an option for any one of us."

"The rebellion is starting!" came a voice from the shadows. A blue green-haired girl dressed in a uniform similar to Orihime's, which consisted of a yellow cardigan over a white oxford shirt with a red ribbon and a grey pleated mini-skirt, showed herself to him. "If only we had more time... Our heroine still needs to stay here for the stabilization process or else she would die if she were to step into our world."

"Our orders are to protect her," he said, pulling out a small green candy no bigger than a marble. "We have no choice but to fight until she's ready."

A sigh escaped from the woman's lips. "I, myself, see no point in fighting a losing battle, but as long as there's hope..." She gazed upon Orihime and smiled. "...there's still a way." She pulled out a similar looking candy from the pocket of her skirt.

Simultaneously, they plopped the candy into their mouth and then their souls emerged from their body, clad in a white uniform with swords at their side. Their bodies turned to ashes as a portal of black torrential energy opened up before them. Without a moment to loose they jumped in, disappearing into the darkness.

* * *

Orihime woke up, grasping for air instantly, and then sat up only to find herself in a circular white hall with closed doors all around her. "Where am I?" Good question and she wished someone would give her an answer. "And where did he go?"

She stood up and reached for one of the doors, but it was locked. She tried all the doors one by one and much to her utter dismay, all of them were locked. She looked up the ceiling and looked down on the floor. There were no hidden doors or any way out. Was she trapped? She wondered what her classmate wanted with her. Surely he was joking about saving the world he spoke off. Maybe it was to scare her senselessly? Hopefully not or else she would die of heart attack. To possess her body and ruin her life? She shivered. It was a possibility because he had kissed her senselessly, she thought blushing at the memory.

She approached the altar stone. There was a skeletal white key sitting on top. Had this been here before? Why didn't she notice it at first? She searched the doors once more and noticed that all of them had no keyholes. Where was she supposed to insert the key? This was getting weirder by the minute.

Orihime crossed her arms before her chest to think. "How am I supposed to get out of here? And where is he? He'll probably let me go if I ask real nicely." She lifted her head and stared at one of the doors. "But I don't think he'll be appearing anytime soon."

She held up the key, pretending there was a door in front of her. Using her imagination, she held onto the knob and pushed the key through a make-believe keyhole. As she turned the key, she heard something clicked, as if she had unlocked something. The key glowed white and disappeared into thin air.

"Oh, no, where did it go?" Orihime muttered worriedly.

A portal then opened up in front of her, catching her by surprise.

"So the key was for an invisible door?" A smile graced her lips. "If this is a dream, it sure is entertaining!"

The world beyond the portal was as clear as crystal. She could see a garden filled with different kinds of plants and flowers with brightly colored butterflies flying about. She wanted to get in there to enjoy the breathtaking gift of nature, but the portal rejected her entry. She held her hands against the glass-like barrier and sighed. Maybe she was supposed to stay jailed in that place.

She stepped back and sat on the altar stone. To her surprise, there was a small tube bottle with a cartoonish rabbit head on one end and a fluffy tail on the other. She was completely certain that it wasn't there before. She looked around to see if there was anyone around.

"Not a soul in sight," she muttered under her breath.

There was a label on the container that said: 'Soul Candy'. She had never heard of a Soul Candy before, yet she was curious to try it. She had always been fond of sweets and treats ever since she was little. She examined the bottle carefully, wondering how to open it. When she squeezed the rabbit head, a small green candy plopped out of its mouth and rolled onto the altar. She picked up the candy and sniffed it. It smelled sugary.

"Here goes," she said. She plopped the candy into her mouth, tasted its sweetness, and swallowed. "That was delicious."

She turned back to the portal and suddenly noticed a body lying on the floor. Frantically, she knelt down and tried to hold her, but her hands just went through her. She stared at her own hands in shock. What just happened? Was it part of her imagination again? She looked down on the person again and gasped when she realized it was her.

Okay, she somehow ended in such a surprising and scary situation. "What's going on?" She got back up to her feet, clamping her mouth, as she stared at her body. "Am I dead? Am I just a spirit now?" She shook her head. How did this happen? Then she remembered the Soul Candy and figured that its purpose was to remove souls from living bodies.

She paced restlessly around the room, murmuring to herself about how happy her life had been, how sorry she wasn't able to say goodbye to her loved ones, especially to her father and friends. Then she thought of a crazy idea. "I should try getting back into my body!" she said out loud. She moved toward her body and got on all fours. "Please let this work!" She drove her head into the chest, but her temple ended up hitting the floor. The plan was a failure.

Angry purple eyes growled at her through the crystal ball. "Is she stupid or something?" the owner of the eyes muttered.

There was some fidgeting and shoving in the background. "Maybe she's not the right one," a new voice spoke up.

"Maybe you brought the wrong girl, don'tcha know?" another one said.

A deep, emotionless voice spoke up this time. "She is unmistakably the one."

Orihime was pacing back and forth. Her head was spinning. She did not know what to do anymore. "If I'm just a spirit now…then maybe…" The idea struck her like gold. She looked back at the portal and smiled. "Maybe I can go through it!"

She approached the portal, careful not to step on her own body, and gazed upon the world at the other side once more. She lifted a hand toward the glass-like barrier and to her amazement it went through. She stepped into the portal and onto an extraordinary yet lovely world. The garden was full of flowers and trees along the pathway. The rose bushes were especially attractive, featuring colors of red, yellow, white and surprisingly blue. It was her first time to see real blue roses. And the trees bear fruits which were unknown to her. She would like to try them but figured doing that later because she wasn't hungry at the moment.

Orihime began exploring the garden, feeding her eyes with its magnificence. It was much, much beautiful than the gardens of her own world and it was so huge.

"Is it really her?" a voice said.

Orihime whirled around and came face to face with a group of people. Well, two of them looked human, while she can't seem to find the right words to describe the other two. However, among the group was the classmate that was so intimate with her. She could never forget those cold green eyes and that dashing face, and those kisses! She felt her face going red as she recalled their passionate moment under the snow. How could she let herself be touched like that? She felt so embarrassed!

Pushing her crazy thoughts aside, she noticed the difference in her classmate's appearance. The dark unruly mane was still the same. But his skin was so pale and he had teal lines running down from his emerald-green eyes. He was wearing a white-colored, black-outlined white coat with high collar and tailcoats, white hakama pants, and a pair of black-colored, white-outlined boots.

"I'm not convinced," the female standing beside her classmate said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't even sense any spiritual power." She was clad in a flowing short skirt with a black sash, a sleeveless top that only covered her neck, her back and a part of her round breasts, a pair of arm warmers and thigh-high boots. The color theme of her outfit was the same as her classmate's. Her silky dark hair was tied up in two pigtails.

She was beautiful in Orihime's eyes.

"Should I remind you that her spiritual powers were sealed until now? I believe this was well-explained back at the castle before we were sent here. If you were the least bit diligent, this minor fact would not have been much of a surprise to you." The pale man explained in a remarkably icy voice, yet Orihime found it to be very appealing somehow.

The female shrugged. "Get off my case."

The pair of odd creatures spoke up.

"Are you really the one?" said the ant-like creature wearing a loin cloth and an eye patch. He had a purple body and blond hair sticking out of his mask.

"But if she's not, then she's not, don'tcha know?" said the large one wearing a tiki mask and yellow polka-dotted attire.

"She's really pretty, don't you agree?" the ant one said with a faint blush. "Way prettier than Loly."

The female called Loly retorted back with an iron fist. "What did you just say?"

"Umm…Excuse me…But what do you mean by 'the one'?" Orihime asked. "And what is this place?"

The ant-like creature took hold of her hand. "This is your home!" he said in a cheerful tone. "Well, technically, you're in the Garden of Blossoms right now, which is a place located within the great Soul Society! If you'd like, I can take you on a grand tour, free of charge since you're so pretty! I'm Pesche, by the way! Pleased to meet your acquaintance."

"And I'm Dondonchakka, Pesche's partner!" The tiki-masked creature seized her other hand. "It's quite an honor to meet you, don'tcha know?"

Loly cleared her throat. "Idiots…"

"I'll escort you, milady," Pesche said.

"That's not fair, don'tcha know? I want to escort the young miss myself," Dondochakka butted in.

And the human tag of war began. Orihime thought she might be ripped apart in two in a minute.

Her classmate expressed a silent sigh. "Enough of this. You two are clearly wasting time here." He extended an arm forward, doing it with natural poise, and pointed a finger at them. Then a surge of green energy gathered at his fingertips. "If you do not wish to be disintegrated, then I suggest you step away from the woman this instant."

Trembling in fear, the two creatures quickly released Orihime and created a considerable amount of distance from her. After that, the green light disappeared. Orihime sighed in relief, but she kind of understood how Pesche and Dondochakka felt. He was quite the serious type and his threat was enough to send shivers down her spine.

As he was about to turn on his heel, Orihime called out to him. "Ichimaru-kun, can you tell me why—" She let out a small shriek as he glared daggers at her.

Loly laughed mockingly. "Ichimaru-kun? Now that's rich! Hey, Mr. dark and gloomy, what possessed you to choose that name as your alias?" She dropped a heavy hand on his stiff shoulder. "You must have a thing for that fox-faced bastard, huh?" She laughed more loudly and more insultingly this time.

"Well, we should call him Ichimaru-san from now on, don'tcha know?" Dondochakka added.

"Yeah, that's right!" Pesche said.

The two of them wanted to laugh out loud, but they held it in because they don't want to taste his wrath.

Orihime realized that she must have insulted him. "I am so sorry!" She bowed her head in apology. "I didn't know it wasn't your real name. But I wanted to ask you something. And I think I have the right to know." She straightened her body and levelled her gaze to his. "Please tell me why you brought me here."

"Leave us."

Her heart skipped a beat.

"No way!" Pesche uttered, stepping in front of the girl, making an X with his arms. "I'm not leaving this beauty alone with you."

Loly gave him a good whack on the head. "Dumbass! You wanna get killed?" She tugged on his loincloth and dragged him away, with Dondochakka following closely.

Step by step, he moved toward her with cold eyes glued to hers. Every nerve in her body was struck with a wave of anomalous intensity. His mere presence, the unassailable air of superiority he possessed, was enough to make her feel suffocated. But she cannot deny how beautiful he was despite the mask of indifference.

He stopped just a foot apart from her. "Do not be alarmed," he said. "I felt it was necessary to send them away in order to explain things clearly without any interference.

"Umm…So…Why did you bring me here?" She suddenly felt a little shy.

"Convincing you to come with me in such a way was ill-mannered of me."

Orihime could not tell if he was trying to apologize for his actions or not. However, she would like to point out that she was literally forced to come. "Why...?" She swallowed hard. "Why did you kiss me?" She curled her fingers into her palms, suddenly feeling nervous. _And why did I seem to like his kisses so much? _

"This world is in chaos, and it has decided to seek your aid. To be more specific, your powers are needed."

"Wha—What?" Orihime exclaimed in surprise. "Powers? I don't have the slightest idea of what you're talking about. I am a normal human being. I have no powers."

"You possess powers that you are not even aware of, woman. You are free to think otherwise, but you cannot deny the destiny that's written in the palm of your hands. You will fight against the Hollow King and lead this world to accord once more."

Orihime backed away from him, shaking her head. "I am the one who's supposed to save this world?" And how will she supposed to fight? She had never even lifted a sword in her life and her self-defence lessons would not be enough.

Green eyes narrowed dangerously. "You are in no position to decline. This is not a negotiation. It is an order. Deny all you want, plead if you must, but you can never change your fate. The wheels have started to turn the moment you set foot into this world."

She found herself speechless as if his words had stabbed her in the heart. What was she supposed to do? She had no means of going back into the world she came from. And she figured that running away from him would be a fruitless effort. Can she really save this world? But she was a stranger to this land, so why seek her help? She was just a normal high school girl who dreams of becoming an astronaut, a teacher, a baker and many more in the future. She was no savior. She was not the one. She wished that everything was just a horrible dream!

As if things couldn't get any worse, a loud roar echoed through the garden, shaking the ground beneath their feet. Orihime screamed as something smashed through the wall nearby. She then saw a vicious-looking animal. It bears a striking resemblance to a panther, only bigger, and it was covered in white armor. Its nose, ears, and paws were black in color and its eyes were surprisingly blue like the sky. Its teeth were frighteningly sharp and stained with blood.

"What kind of animal is that?" she said in a shaky voice.

Her companion stepped up in front and unsheathed his sword.

"Ichimaru-kun?"

His face remained unchanged when he glanced at her, but Orihime could somehow sense that he was fairly annoyed with the name.

"I am the 4th Knight of the Royal Guards, serving under her majesty, The Divine Queen, and my name is Ulquiorra Cifer," he said, as the panther creature growled ferociously. There was bloodlust in its blue eyes. "Under her majesty's orders, I am assigned to protect this woman at all cost. You are deemed as a threat to her life, therefore, I must eliminate you."

Orihime blinked in surprise. So, his name was Ulquiorra Cifer and he was working under the Divine Queen. But his name was familiar. She recalled saying his name before she blacked out. How she knew his name was a mystery and he was getting interesting by the minute. The loud roar of the panther brought her back to the situation at hand and made her knees tremble. She certainly did not want to be eaten or killed by it.

"Woman, I suggest you run," Ulquiorra demanded.

Her mind told her to run, but her heart wanted her to stay by Ulquiorra's side because she felt safer with him. Nevertheless, the mind won over and Orihime ran back toward the path. She then stopped and peered over her shoulder to look at Ulquiorra. Shutting her eyes firmly, she yelled, "Please be careful, Ulquiorra-san!" and then she ran off.

_To be continued… _

* * *

**JC:** I try not to make it too similar to the Alice in Wonderland you all know. Yeah, I gave the rabbit role to Ulquiorra. Be thankful he's not going around yelling 'I'm late! I'm late.' We've got a totally different version of the rabbit character. Pesche and Dondochakka are the Tweedle twins here but they're not related, okay? The Dormouse character is Loly because I felt like it. I bet you guys can guess who the panther is. Don't worry, he won't stay panther for long. Remember, this story is inspired by various fairy tales, mainly Alice in Wonderland, but I've added my own twists. Please tell me what you think. I need feedbacks. No flaming please. If you wanna check the promotional art for this story, just visit my profile page and click on the link.


	2. The Bandersnatch's Fury

**JC:** I'm quite pleased with the reviews. Never thought it would be well-received. I must say that I'm really, really enjoying writing this fairy-tail inspired fic. Orihime will get to know more and more about Ulquiorra, so please be patient. Romance is certain to bloom later on. I surely hope you'll enjoy my little battle scenes for this chapter. The Red Queen will be here. Try to guess who?

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach and its characters. Rights belong to Tite Kubo. This story is inspired by Disney's film by Tim Burton.

* * *

**Angelice**

Chapter 02: The Bandersnatch's Fury

All throughout the garden, animals and civilians were running in terror. But many of them have fallen prey to monsters of grotesque appearance. They came in all shapes and sizes, but the one thing they share in common was the white mask on their faces. Loly, Pesche and Dondochakka bolted through the hedge, hoping to escape. But luck was not on their side. A creature managed to corner them.

"You're not taking us without a fight," Loly shouted. She heard the chattering teeth of her two companions and got more annoyed. She peered over her shoulders with a hiss to look at them. "You guys are really a bunch of cowards!"

"Loly, look out!" Pesche yelled out.

The monster grabbed her leg and lifted her into the air. Loly automatically brought her hands to hold down her skirt.

Pesche was suddenly feisty. "Loly, how dare you ruin a man's dream?"

A red projectile of spiritual pressure suddenly blasted him to a tree. "Perverted bastard!" Loly flailed one arm angrily. "Wait till I get my hands on you!"

Another monster managed to get a hold of Dondochakka and pinned him to the ground. "I need help, don'tcha know?" he cried.

"Let go of me, you scumbag!" Loly demanded. She was about to fire another projectile when she was suddenly muffled and tossed into a glass case.

* * *

Orihime was still running down a garden path until she tripped and fell down. Groaning in pain, she sat up and rubbed her poor head. The screams of terror brought her back to reality. Getting back on her feet, she raced on. She had no idea where she was going or where she needed to go, but as long as danger was present, she knew she needed to keep running.

But was it the right thing to do?

She skidded to a halt, thinking back of Ulquiorra and the ferocious panther. Was it really all right for her to leave him alone to fend off the beast? She remembered him saying that he was assigned to protect her. She took a deep breath and slowly turned around. Ulquiorra stayed behind because of her. If he got hurt during the fight, it would definitely make her sad and guilty. But even if she did go back, what can she do? Her little knowing in self-defense will prove to be of no use against the beast, so surely she'll only be a burden to him. Still it bothered her conscience to leave him in the face of danger while she ran to safety.

Calming herself, she thought things through again. For a moment, the fear in her heart disappeared. "All right, I've made my decision! I'm going back," she said. But before she could even take a step, she heard a thunderous roar. Fear lurched in once more.

The panther creature jumped onto the path and flashed its blood stained teeth at her.

Orihime paled and froze on the spot. The creature had caught up with her. But where was Ulquiorra? Did the creature kill him? No, she refused to believe it. She thought about running but knew that her two legs will never be a match against four. Like the predator it was, the panther circled around her, watching her carefully. She was prey and she was going to be killed by the predator.

The panther approached Orihime, and she felt its hot breath and smelled the blood dripping from its mouth.

She swallowed hard. It was fresh blood. Was it Ulquiorra's? Was he dead? She hated thinking of negative things, but the situation called for it. In addition to that, it seemed like she was the next victim.

All of a sudden, Ulquiorra appeared in midair, just above the panther, with a sword in hand. At that moment, everything went slow mode for Orihime. As pleased as she was to see him alive, she couldn't bring herself to smile at this because Ulquiorra was gravely injured. He had cuts and wounds everywhere and his uniform was dreadfully frayed.

He drove his sword straight in the beast's back and jumped back. As soon as he landed, he dropped onto one knee.

The panther bellowed in pain. It trashed around furiously. In its fury, it whipped around and lashed out on Orihime. Its claws managed to tear a fabric of her uniform and wounded her arm.

Orihime shrieked in pain as she fell onto her knees. She placed a hand over the wound, biting her lower lip, as she saw the blood dripping onto the path. If this was a dream, she'd like to wake up now. This was a bit too much. She was more convinced she wasn't the one they had placed their hope in. She was just a normal girl whose curiosity got the best of her. If she were to enter battle, if she were to agree to fight for this world, then surely she would experience injuries such as this and maybe even greater.

The panther was going berserk over the pain of its wound.

It was not in her nature to fight, but she wished she had strength to fend off the beast. Ulquiorra had given it his best for her and now he was bleeding to death. Some savior she was if she could not even help one person. She had never asked for power before, but now she wanted it. She needed it.

As the panther opened its mouth wide to bite her head off, Ulquiorra appeared in front of her and slashed its chest. Blood came out of the newly cut wound in a bucketing amount.

"Ulquiorra-san…" Orihime felt speechless once more.

The panther fell to the ground like a heavy log, bleeding profusely.

His green eyes settled on her for a short while before he collapsed onto her. She caught him in her arms, holding his head close to her chest, as the blood stained her clothes. Her uniform was the least of her concerns at the moment. Ulquiorra's life was in danger. He could die due to blood loss. To make matters worse, the panther has not yet given up. It was struggling to get back on its feet with every intention of slicing them into pieces.

"Y-You need to run." Ulquiorra's voice was so strained.

"No, I won't leave you!" she exclaimed.

"It was not a request," he said, looking into her eyes. "This world will cease to exist if you die."

Orihime shook her head vigorously and held him tighter. "I refuse to leave your side. If I cannot even save one person, then how would you expect me to save the people of this world?" Her heart was swelling up with emotions. "And I can't possibly abandon a man who had sacrificed himself to save me."

He closed his eyes, swallowing the pain inside. He silenced himself as he felt her tremble, as he felt warm fluid fell on his cheek. She was shaking but not because of fear. She was sad, she was in despair. Tears have welled up in her eyes and cascaded down her smooth cheeks like a stream. He was speechless at this. The woman was such strange one indeed. She was crying for someone who took her away from the world she knew. "How absurd. It matters not if I were to die."

"It matters!" she yelled. "Do not take your life for granted!"

His cold mask almost cracked when she pulled him into her embrace. He felt the moist droplets of tears sliding down his neck. At that moment, he felt a strange sensation in his chest. She was radiating weird yet wonderful warmth of compassion for him.

"Your selflessness…would be the end of you…" he muttered before he fainted.

His body weight arguably became much heavier. "Ulquiorra-san, no!" She shook him gently. "Ulquiorra-san!"

The white panther loomed over them. Blood dripped from its wounds to the ground as it raised its claws.

She looked up at the beast, no longer bearing fear in her heart. "I'm not going to run away…" she muttered under her breath. "I'm not going to run away!"

"Then allow us to help you…" Five voices spoke in the back of her mind.

The panther swung its lethal claws but failed to bring harm upon them. A triangular barrier was shielding them. Orihime was more than surprised at this. Who or what conjured the shield?

As if on the cue, the same voices earlier answered her question. "We did."

She looked around in search of the owner of those voices. But no one was in sight. There was only her, Ulquiorra, and the beast.

The panther tried to break the barrier, striking it continuously, but not a scratch was made.

"Little kitty's a feisty one!" a female said. By the sound of the voice, she seemed to be a perky one.

"We won't let you hurt, Orihime-san." The voice was deep. Orihime suddenly imaged the owner to be a large man.

"Now just back off!" another male spoke. This voice seemed to belong to a scrawny guy.

When the barrier pressed forward and collided with the panther, electrical waves of spiritual energy lashed out and blew the beast away as if the barrier rejected it. Orihime was quite amazed with such power.

The triangular barrier disappeared and three fairies materialized before her. One was female with bright pink hair tied in three buns, with long bangs that covered her left eye. She had such a cute face and a lovely body despite her petite size and she was wearing transparent yellow goggles and a blue bathing suit with thigh highs. One male had a large eye patch that ends in a horn, sharp nails and pointy ears, while the other one was bald and brawny with a mask that covered the bottom of his face. And the most peculiar thing about them was the fact they had wings similar to origami ones and symbols of hibiscus flowers.

"Hello there!" the female said cheerfully.

"You are still lovely as ever, young miss," the brawny one said.

"It is such an honor to finally meet you again," the scrawny one followed up.

Orihime's mind went blank for a second before snapping back to reality. "WwwoooooW!" she exclaimed happily. "I had always dreamed of meeting fairies and I never thought it was ever possible. I can hardly believe it. Fairies are actually talking to me!"

The female fairy giggled. "Not the reaction I was expecting but it's all good. I'm glad you feel that way, Orihime."

Orihime gasped. "You know my name? How?"

"Well, you see—" The fairy was about to explain when a solemn voice of a male intervened. "Now is not the time for talk."

Two projectiles of light flew out of Ulquiorra's pocket and materialized in the air. Then the red-winged fairy hid behind the pink-haired one, covering her mouth with her long sleeve, as it shyly looked at Orihime. She had big round eyes and dark hair tied in low pigtails. She was very adorable. The other newcomer perched on Orihime's shoulder and smiled up at her. He had perpetually closed eyes and blonde hair tied in a neat ponytail. His clothing was red in color with golden linings.

"Why, hello there, Orihime," he said in a kind voice.

She blinked. So, there were two more of them.

He joined his fairy friends in midair and placed his hands on his hips. "We are the Shun Shun Rikka and we've come here to protect you."

Her heart sank and a frown greased her lips. "First, Ulquiorra-san had to save me, and now fairies are here to protect me. I have been nothing but a burden ever since I came here."

"To be more specific, we, the Shun Shun Rikka, are not fairies," the blonde explained. "We are spiritual manifestations of your power. Each one of us is a part of you."

Her curiosity was at its peak again. "A part of me?"

"I know all of this seems puzzling to you but please try to—"

"Raawwwrrr!" The panther was back on its feet, casting its vicious eyes on its prey.

"Little kitty's back up again and is in a pretty bad mood!" the pink-haired one said excitedly. "Orihime, we need you to use us."

The scrawny guy had his arms in an x-position when he talked. "You can use us to construct a barrier that can repel any attack."

"In order to use our shield, you must focus your heart and use our Kotodama, a spirit chant," the brawny fairy explained.

Orihime's head was really spinning now. "K-kotodama?" And there was a big question mark hanging above her head.

The pink-haired fairy flew over to Orihime and pointed a finger toward the panther. "It's coming, Orihime. Now call out our names!" She then flew into the air, followed closely by the two male fairies that first appeared with her.

"I am Hinagiku!" the scrawny one exclaimed.

"I am Baigon!" the other male said.

The pink-haired winked an eye. "And my name is Lily!" she announced, and then twirled around gracefully.

Panic was starting to take over her once more. She was not sure on what to do. Everything was happening way to fast and she couldn't keep up. But then the man in her arms stirred and slowly opened his eyes. "Ulquiorra-san…" Even with his wounds, he still managed to present an indifferent appearance. He fidgeted and struggled to sit up. "No, you must not! You are injured, Ulquiorra-san!" He did not heed her words. Instead, he wrapped his fingers around her arms and held her firmly in place.

"Calm yourself and focus, woman," he told her. "Failure is not an option under this circumstance. You must strengthen your resolve and face this enemy. Now recite their kotodama."

Orihime swallowed hard and nodded her head obediently. Taking a deep shaky breath, she rose to her feet and looked straight at the enemy. The blonde fairy perched on her shoulder once more and whispered the kotodama into her ear. "Hinagiku, Baigon, Lily!" she yelled out, clenching her hands.

The panther gathered large amount of spiritual energy at its mouth and fired it at them.

She stood her ground and continued the kotodama. She knew she had to protect herself and Ulquiorra. "Santen Kesshun, I reject!" she uttered, and then a triangular barrier, clearly much larger than the one before, appeared and protected them from the attack. "I did it!" She brought her hands together in glee. "Ulquiorra-san!" When she turned to the man, a gasp escaped from her lips. Ulquiorra had fallen once again, panting heavy breaths. Her hands turned cold in an instant.

But the blonde fairy was quick to assure her. "Don't worry, he'll be fine with our help," he said, as the shy fairy took her place at his side. "We have the ability to repel the inner shield. In other words, we can return a subject covered by the shield to the state they were before any damage was made. Now then, Orihime, say our names." He and the other girl fairy flew over to Ulquiorra, and then he said, "I am Shun'o."

"And I am Ayame," the shy fairy said.

"Say our names then chant 'Souten Kisshun, I reject!'" Shun'o instructed.

Orihime took a deep breath. "Shun'o! Ayame! Souten Kisshun, I reject!" she uttered firmly, her eyes full of determination. With the kotodama complete, the fairy creatures enveloped Ulquiorra in an orange oval barrier. To her amazement, Ulquiorra's injuries were slowly disappearing and his clothes were returning to their former state. She clamped her mouth, as tears streamed down her face. "Thank goodness."

"It's not over yet, Orihime," Lily, who was still holding up the shield with Hinagiku and Baigon, said to her. "The kitty-cat's still here and we have no means of destroying him."

"Then what should we do?" Orihime asked.

The panther was about to charge when the sound of chimes resonated in the air. With a growl, it whirled around and sprung away in a hurry.

Orihime blinked. "It retreated…" Relief washed over her like a tidal wave. "It's…over…" Then dizziness took over. She felt so drained, so exhausted. Her whole body seemed like lead somehow. And before she knew it, she lost consciousness.

Ulquiorra caught her, taking a moment to gaze at her face before lifting her up like a bride. The fairy-like creatures gathered around them, concern written on their small faces.

"Is she going to be all right?" Ayama asked Shun'o.

Shun'o sighed and then smiled. "It can't be helped. It's been a long time since she used her powers, so it's only natural she'd get this tired," he explained as he crossed his arms. "But I have to say that Orihime did well."

Lily nodded cheerfully. "She sure did! I'm so proud!"

"Wait a minute!" Hinagiku yelled out, pointing at Orihime's wound. "Orihime's hurt. That beast! How dare he lay his claws on her!"

"You do not have to make such a big fuss about it," Ulquiorra said in an apathetic voice with cold green eyes to match. He conferred the pointy-eared fairy with the case of the shivers. "This wound can be easily healed."

"Leave it to us, Ulquiorra," Shun'o said.

* * *

In the middle of the barren desert of Hueco Mundo stood the mighty fortress of the Hollow King. This massive structure consisted of a main building with a domed center surrounded by large towers and smaller buildings. It radiated the color of pure white, yet it had a dangerous aura around that matched its ruler, Sousuke Aizen, who was feared by people and creatures alike.

The soldiers who lined the grand hall stood firm as they heard the polished footsteps of their king. The tall doors at one end of the hall opened, revealing the king himself. He was a handsome man, perfectly built, and had slick wavy brown hair and eyes. One thing one would always notice about him was his trademark smirk on his face. He wore a long sleeved white coat over a white kimono tied with a purple obi sash and white hakama pants with a pair of black-colored, white outlined boots.

"Good morning, my dear subjects," he said in a smooth, appealing voice. He stalked down the line of soldiers clad in white uniforms, shrouded in the shadows. At the end, he spun on his heel and faced a silver-haired man across the hall. "I believe you have something to say, Gin?"

His full name was Gin Ichimaru and he was Aizen's right-hand man. He was a cheeky fellow with sharp blue-eyes that were always closed and short silver hair. He had a very sly smile on his face, making him look like the fox devil himself. He also wore clothing similar to Aizen's, but his coat had large bell sleeves and the sash around his waist was blue in color.

"Sure do, Majesty. What do you want to hear first? The good news or the bad news?" His tone had quite a strange accent to it. "Oh, maybe I should start with the good."

"Do go on," Aizen said.

"I got the oracle to talk," Gin said, his face darkening. "And that was the good news. The bad news is that the _Wretched Angel_ is now somewhere in Soul Society."

Everyone knew that the girl is the only being that is able to defeat the Hollow King, yet Aizen was unfazed. He was still beaming with utmost confidence. "The Angelice, I see…" he said. "We are graced with an unprecedented situation."

"Want me to find her?" Gin asked. "I can bring her head and serve it to ya in a silver platter."

Aizen seemed amused. "No, I want you to bring her to me alive."

* * *

Orihime jarred her eyes open and sat up. She took a moment to look around. She was surrounded by creepy-looking trees. She was still in the strange world. Pushing back her long orange hair, she placed a hand on her temple. She knew she had fainted, but she could remember everything that happened so far. She remembered little fairy-like creatures talking to her, the panther, and Ulquiorra recovering from his injuries.

She looked at her arm and was surprised to see no wound. There was not even the slightest bit of gash or blood. Her injury had been healed and her uniform looked brand new. Was it the work of Shun'o and Ayame? Well, they did do a pretty good job healing Ulquiorra. But where was Ulquiorra?

"I see you're awake," said a familiar voice behind her. "I take it you're feeling better now."

She turned her head and stared up into his green eyes. "This is far too real to be a mere dream," Orihime said sadly. "And I can't help but be frightened."

"You will be encountering more dangers along the way," Ulquiorra said. "The beast that attacked us was one of the Hollow King's pets. I am certain that it has informed the king about you, which puts us in a great disadvantage."

"Hollow King?"

"It is imperative that I take you to the Divine Queen, thus, we cannot afford to waste anymore time. Let us move." Hands in pocket, he walked past her and started toward the rugged path.

"Wait! I am so confused!" Orihime said huffily as she stood up. "I do not even have the slightest clue to what is happening here. Unless you start telling me the things I need to know, I refuse to move from this spot. And where are those fairy-like creatures? I would like to have a word with them as well."

Ulquiorra halted and spun around to face her. "This is neither the time nor the place to talk," he said. "Your questions will be entertained at the Divine Queen's castle."

One would cower in the heat of his gaze, but Orihime refused to be submissive. She knew she had to stand on her own. She had to be mature and strong. "No, I cannot wait. I demand answers now."

"You are in no position to make demands, woman."

"Well, I just did! I have the right to know, Ulquiorra-san!" Orihime retorted. She had never spoken in such a harsh way to anyone before. He was the first. And once she realized her impoliteness, she lowered her head in shame. "Pardon me for raising my voice…but please…please tell me."

"With discord reigning upon the land, the great guardians will rise to rid the evil. But alone they shall fail and thus the world will turn to the promised one," said a voice above her. "It is inevitability."

She promptly looked up and saw a black cat with golden eyes perched on a branch. "Did-did you just talk?" she asked. "If you did…then please tell me what you meant." She felt like a crazy person talking to a cat.

"You are the promised one," said the cat, which had a distinctive deep male voice. "You are Orihime, are you not?"

It really did talk, much to her surprise. "Umm…I would like to debate about that. I am no savior."

The feline jumped down and landed in front of Orihime. It inspected the girl for a moment. "I saw you used the Shun Shun Rikka. There's no doubt about it. You are the one," it said, looking amused. "But your skill needs refinement. I can take you to someone who can explain the nature of your powers. I'm sure you wouldn't mind, Ulquiorra."

"I've been given orders to protect this woman and deliver her to the Divine Queen," Ulquiorra explained.

"And I've been given orders by her majesty to train her," the cat replied.

"If that is the case, then I have no complaints," he said.

"The Shun Shun Rikka…those fairies are a part of me, right?" Orihime quietly said with her eyes fixated on the ground. "It seems wise to learn more about my powers. However, I would like to know why this world needs me."

The black cat sighed heavily. "That man will explain it as soon as you get there. Now come on. It'd be best be on our way." And with that, it disappeared from sight and reappeared a short way through the trees. "Coming?"

Orihime knew there was nothing else she could do. She was stuck in this world, required to learn about her powers and about herself, and forced to be with a cold man like Ulquiorra. Taking a deep breath, she followed the cat through the forest, with Ulquiorra following right behind her like a shadow.

_To be continued…_

* * *

**JC:** Of course, the panther is my favorite cat in Bleach, who is none other than Grimmjow. He plays the part of Bandersnatch here. The Red Queen's role is played by Aizen-sama and the Knave of Hearts is Gin-san! The Cheshire Cat is Yorouchi, which I think is obviously perfect for her. I know some of you totally saw that coming XD. You'll get to meet the Mad Hatter in the next chapter. And if you're wondering why Tsubaki's not here, well just be patient with that. Please review! No Flaming!


	3. Tea, anyone? Meet the Mad Hatter!

**JC:** Let's meet the Mad Hatter in this chapter. A lot of people made their guesses and they were right on the mark. I've been thinking of what kind of promotional art for this fic. I've managed to sketch it. Now I just need a working scanner. Sucks that my scanner is going looney on me. I don't know. It seems to have some connection problems. Oh well, it won't stop me from my artwork. Another thing that sucks is my internet connection because of the bad weather we've been having. Still, I'm glad that I was able to update this. Care for a cup of tea? Just sit down, relax, and read.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Bleach. Tite Kubo has that right. Various themes in this story is inspired by fairy tales and Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.

* * *

**Angelice**

Chapter 03: Tea, anyone? Meet the Mad Hatter!

It was unusual to find an old, traditional and shady looking candy shop in the middle of the forest. But Orihime could sense that it was not an ordinary shop. The cat led them inside to a tatami room big enough to fit ten people. There was a blonde man clad in green seated across the room presiding over a tea ceremony with three other guests. Orihime had been to countless tea ceremonies before, but she had to admit that it can be pretty boring, not that she hated Japanese tea.

Sitting beside the blonde man was a girl no more than thirteen. She had a pair of sad-looking eyes in a beautiful deep shade of blue and dark hair tied in pigtails. But the odd thing about her was the stray bang between her eyes. She wore a white t-shirt and pink skirt. And there was a red-haired boy wearing a white shirt and blue pants. He seemed to be in a bad mood judging from the grumpy look on his face. A bearded, muscled man sat across the girl. He had his eyes hidden behind sunglasses and he wore a white body shirt, pants, and a dark blue apron.

This blonde man was fair in complexion and seemed like an easy-going person. He was wearing a green-white striped hat, a green kimono and haori. He was fanning himself with a white fan in his hand as Orihime, Ulquiorra and the black cat approached.

At the sight of the cat, he bolted upright with a big smile on his face. "Yorouichi-san, you're back!" Acting like a child who just received a new toy, he moved toward the cat and hugged it in his arms. "Glad you didn't get caught by the Hollow King."

In a split second, the man, who was all giddy and silly, was now crouched down, clamping his face with his hands.

"Who do you think you're talking to, Kisuke?" the cat sternly said. "It'd take him a million years before he could get his hands on me."

Orihime saw how the cat gave the man a mean scratch attack and knew that it hurt a lot. While Ulquiorra remained impassive, she felt kind of sorry for the man. "Umm…Are you all right, sir?" she asked.

The man named Kisuke got back on his feet and reached for her hand. "Oh, it's you!" he said. "The young lady who will save this world. You're a lot beautiful than I've ever imagined." He dragged her across the room and made her sit down on a pillow seat.

"It's nice to meet you," the pigtailed girl greeted politely as she bowed down. "My name is Ururu."

With such courtesy, Orihime bowed down as well and introduced herself. "I am Inoue Orihime. It's very nice to meet you too."

As the two girls straightened up, the bearded man bowed his head and said, "My name is Tsukabishi Tessai. It's quite an honor to meet you."

Orihime fidgeted nervously. "Um...no…The honor is mine," she said.

"I'm Jinta, by the way," the redhead boy roughly said as he picked his nose.

Orihime was not so sure how to respond to this boy, but before she could say anything, Tessai pinned his head down on the floor, forcing him to bow.

"Don't be rude, Jinta-dono!" Tessai scolded.

"Ah, no, it's all right. Please, don't get mad at him," Orihime said, feeling sorry for the poor boy.

"Care for some tea, Orihime-san," the blonde man said, pushing a teacup to her. "It's quite good. Oh, by the way, my name is Urahara Kisuke. I'm so happy that you're here."

Orihime gave him an odd look. "I do not want to be such a disappointment, but how in the world am I the promised one?" she said. "Are you sure that I'm the one?"

"Ulquiorra-san's the one who brought you here, am I right?" Urahara asked.

"Umm…Yes," she replied.

"And were you able to use the Shun Shun Rikka?"

Orihime recalled the little fairy-like creatures in her head. "Yes, and it was quite amazing."

"Then there is no doubt! You are definitely the promised one, the Angelice, the Princess of the Hibiscus Shield."

"Huh?" Nothing but confusion written on her face, Orihime found this man to be more than a little strange. First, she was called 'The Promised One' and now she was being referred to as the 'The Angelice' and 'The Princess of Hibiscus Shield'. It was one surprise after another. Her mind was about to explode with the overload of strange information.

Urahara smiled. "It's definitely you, so don't try to deny it now. This is your fate, Orihime-san. Now that you're here," he said, tapping his fan on his shoulder, "we should get down to business." He seized Ururu's and Jinta's hand and raised their hands into the air. "Down with Sousuke Aizen! Down with the Hollow King!"

"And you expect me to fight this Aizen?" Orihime looked a bit frightened.

Ulquiorra was leaning against the door with his hands inside his pockets. He seemed utterly bored even with the cheery aura Urahara and his gang was giving off. "Time is an element I'd rather not take for granted. I have my orders and I do not plan on disappointing the Divine Queen."

Urahara merely smiled back at him. "Don't be such a stick in the mud there, Ulquiorra-san," he said before looking back at Orihime. "You must be aware by now that this world is falling into ruins."

"And you contributed much to its destruction," Ulquiorra icily said, earning him a thin-veiled hostile look from Urahara. "I am merely stating a fact."

"Kisuke, it's all in the past," the cat calmly said. "No need to get affected by it."

Urahara blinked, composing himself, and picked up his tea. "Thank you," he said. "Don't worry. I'm fine."

Just then, everyone in the room tensed, and Orihime got a bad feeling about it.

The cat narrowed her eyes at the door. "Look likes we have company," she said. "And it's not just anybody."

Ulquiorra marched over to Orihime and seized her hand. "You are to hide your presence immediately," he ordered, forcing her up on her feet. He wasn't the least bit gentle with her. "Aizen's right-hand man is here and he will kill you without any second thoughts." He pulled out a silver bracelet from his pocket and shoved it into Orihime's hands.

"What is this?" Orihime asked, taking note of the lovely shimmer of silver in her hands. It was a simple bracelet yet beautiful.

"Wear it and be silent," Ulquiorra demanded, inserting the bracelet through her right hand. "This will hide your presence from them."

The bracelet was on but she did not feel any different. How would a mere bracelet be able to hide her presence? Before she could even ask, she was dragged to the corner of the room. Orihime stumbled onto her knees on the tatami floor.

"Just sit still," he said, and then he stood in front of her, back facing her.

A silver-haired man arrived with two soldiers in white robes. "Good to see you, Urahara-san," sneered the man, "how goes the tea ceremony?"

"Ichimaru Gin, what a pleasant surprise," Urahara replied, lightly fanning himself in a casual manner.

"Would you like to join us for tea, Captain Ichimaru?" asked Tessai.

"As tempting it may sound, I'm afraid I have to refuse," Gin said, surveying the room fleetingly. "We're looking for the Angelice. I'm sure you've heard of her."

The sly fox-like smile on his face did not go unnoticed. Orihime shuddered. It was her first time seeing the man and she was already frightened by him. Why was everyone here so interested in her? Why would someone even want her dead? She never agreed to be this 'promised one'. She was just a regular girl. She buried her head in her hands as soon as the man looked toward their direction. For a second there, she thought he had noticed her but he didn't, which was a big relief. However, it came as a surprise that he failed to notice Ulquiorra's presence as well. She figured that maybe Ulquiorra was also wearing an accessory that hides his presence as well.

"Nah, we haven't seen her," Urahara said, sipping his tea.

Gin snickered. "Oh, really now? You'll lose your heads, if you're hiding her."

Urahara flapped open his fan and placed it over his lips. "Now that is scary indeed," he said cheerfully.

"You know, you wouldn't be trapped here if it weren't for your carelessness," Gin explained, stalking around the room. "Consider yourself lucky that this is the only punishment you got."

Peering from behind the pale man, Orihime saw Gin approaching their spot. The silver-haired man stared straight into Ulquiorra's eyes, rubbing his chin, with an instinctive yet carefree expression. In reality, Gin was staring nothing but the wall. "Might as well go search in another place," he said, spinning on the heel of his boot. "It was really nice meeting you again, Urahara-san. I'll definitely join you for tea next time we meet."

"I'm looking forward to that, Captain Ichimaru," Urahara said, waving goodbye with his fan.

Gin lingered suspiciously as the two soldiers marched out of the room. Orihime was convinced that he could sense their incredibly faint presence but decided not to get into it. As soon as Gin left the room, she let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding. She placed a hand over her chest and felt the racing beat of her heart. She had never been so nervous in her entire life.

Kneeling down to her level, Ulquiorra took hold of her hand and removed the bracelet. "Ichimaru Gin is Aizen's right-hand man and the one in charge of the 3rd Division Army," he told her, as if he knew what she was about to ask him.

"Wait…Ichimaru?" Orihime remembered his borrowed name at school and realized why Loly and the others teased him about the name.

"I will not entertain whatever silly questions you have about the name," Ulquiorra said flatly. "Our main concern now is Ichimaru Gin."

"Don't let the smile fool you," Urahara said. His cheerful demeanor was no more as it was replaced by a serious one. "He's a lecherous snake in the grass and he's no rookie when it comes to swords. He's not top-notch for nothing. Aizen doesn't have to lift a finger with him around to do his dirty work. And he may not look the part, but he was a child prodigy back in the days. God did one hell of a job giving him both the brains and the skills. Well, what can you do about it? Life has never been fair."

Jinta shrugged. "You're the one to talk. Weren't you Ai—" He got immediately cut off by Tessai who pummeled his head into the tatami floor.

Urahara cleared his throat, then put on his cheerful face. "Well, now that the big baddie is gone, let's focus on you, Orihime-san," he said. He gestured them to sit down at the tea table, as Ururu served the biscuits. "Ururu, Jinta, Tessai-san, if you don't mind, I'd like to speak with them alone."

The redhead grunted. "Why can't we stay? It's not as if we're—" Another whack on the head by Tessai shut him up. He was then dragged off by the man to the door.

"Excuse us, Urahara-dono," Tessai said, bowing his head, with Ururu doing the same. After that, the three of them left the room.

"All right, then," Urahara said, sipping his tea before staring straight into Orihime's eyes, "let's get on to business, shall we?"

Orihime swallowed hard. "Please…I've been so confused ever since I came into this world. I have a lot of questions and I want answers," she explained.

"With discord reigning upon the land, the great guardians will rise to rid the evil. But alone they shall fail and thus the world will turn to the promised one," he said in a solemn tone. She remembered the cat telling her the same thing. "Almost all of the land in Soul Society had been overshadowed by Sousuke Aizen, the Hollow King, who reigns over Hueco Mundo. The Court of Pure Souls is the only area left in Soul Society that has been untouched. Even though the odds were against her, the Divine Queen managed to keep the Court of Pure Souls safe together with the Thirteen Court Guards."

"The Thirteen Court Guards? Are they the guardians of this world?"

"Yes…Sadly, they no longer serve under the Divine Queen. They're pawns of Aizen now."

It was one surprise after another for Orihime. "What? But how can that be?"

"Aizen is controlling them, like mere puppets tied to a string. They have no other choice. Unless Aizen is defeated, they can never be free and this world will never be at peace."

"Alone the guardians will fail…" Orihime muttered, recalling Urahara's words. "But why am I the promised one? Why am I able to use the Shun Shun Rikka?"

Urahara took another sip of his tea. "First, let Ulquiorra-san here tell you about the Shun Shun Rikka," he said as he set the cup down.

"The Shun Shun Rikka is your power that manifested as these six fairy-like creatures that reside in hair-clips shaped like a flower with six petals. Through various combinations, the Shielding Flowers have the power to reject fate by undoing events. This power can be used for healing, defense, and offense." Ulquiorra explained it so intelligently. It was impressive that he could speak with such fluidity. In addition to that, his voice was simply alluring.

Orihime remembered the triangular shield she conjured and the half-oval barrier she used to heal Ulquiorra. She had already used two of the Shun Shun Rikka's techniques. "I think I'm beginning to understand it a bit…" She grasped her skirt tightly. "But I find it hard to believe that the Shun Shun Rikka is my own power. Okay…err…Next question! Why are you calling me 'The Angelice'? What's that supposed to mean anyway?"

"There are five races in Soul Society." Appearing out of nowhere, the black cat jumped onto the tea table.

"Oh, Yorouichi-san!" Urahara exclaimed, pretending to be shocked. "Where did you run off to when Captain Ichimaru was here?"

After giving the man a mean scratch attack, the cat continued her explanation. "The SOULENCE are the normal inhabitants of this world and, much like the majority of the people in the Real World, they do not possess any spiritual powers. The second race I'm going to bring up is the SOUL REAPER." She gave Urahara a knowing look before going on. "As the name suggests, Soul Reapers are the representative of death responsible for regulating souls between Soul Society and Hueco Mundo. They are also capable of cleansing and purifying fallen souls with their Zanpakutou. Some Soulence develop spiritual powers which can enable them to enter the Soul Academy to become a Soul Reaper. A HOLLOW is a creature born from the corrupted souls of a SOULENCE after their death. Once a soul becomes a Hollow, it is driven by an eternal and insatiable hunger to devour souls of the living and the dead. Most Hollows usually become mindless creatures, while there are only a certain few that retain their sanity and reasoning. Now for the QUINCY…"

"Are you still with us, Orihime-san?" Urahara asked who took notice of the girl's confused face.

Orihime let out an awkward chuckle as she scratched the back of her head. "Oh, yes! I'm still keeping up!"

Yorouichi cleared her throat. "All right, where was I?" She rubbed her lower chin. "Ah, yes, about the Quincy. They are spiritually aware warriors able to absorb and manipulate spiritual power into weapons. Unlike the Soul Reapers who use a sword as their primary weapon, the Quincy uses a bow-class weapon constructed from spiritual particles drawn from their surroundings. Sadly, they are what you call an endangered species because of their dwindling numbers. Last but not the least are the supernatural beings called METHERLANCE. They are responsible for the creation and maintenance of the land. In other words, they're the gods, who rarely intervene in governing the society."

"And where do I fit in all of this?" Orihime asked.

"You're a hybrid," Urahara said, pointing at her with his fan. "You're an Angelice, a cross between a Metherlance and a Soulence."

Information overload! Her mind was spinning so much that it was making her dizzy. "W-wait…So, let me get this straight. An Angelice is a Metherlance-Soulence hybrid?" She brought a palm to her temple. "And you're saying that I'm a child of a—No way! This is too unreal!" she exclaimed, shaking her head. It was totally impossible for her to be a child of a god-like being and a normal person of Soul Society. She had lived with her brother in the Real World all her life. She may not remember her abusive parents that clearly, but she knew that they existed in the Real World.

The blonde man opened up his fan, letting out a hearty chuckle. "Well, that's enough explaining now," he said. "Why don't we start training you now, Orihime-san?"

Orihime blinked in confusion. "Wait….Training? Are you serious, Urahara-san?"

"Oh, I'm dead serious, Orihime-san," he replied. Orihime found it difficult to take him seriously because of the goofy smile on his face. "You have to master the Shun Shun Rikka if you wanna have a shot at Aizen."

This was totally unfair. She had just begun to understand the nature of her powers and the basic history of this world, and now Urahara was telling her to master the Shun Shun Rikka so she could fight Aizen? She had no combat experience, and it was against her nature to even harm another human being. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I can fight this Aizen," she said glumly, avoiding Urahara's eyes. "I'm not strong enough nor do I have the confidence."

"Stop this whining!" a deep male voice spoke out as a black coat of fur rammed into Orihime's left eye.

She whimpered in pain like a little child as she held her left eye. "Wah…My eye…" She grew more nervous when the black cat growled at her. "Why did you do that?"

"You can't fight? You don't have the confidence? Sounds to me like you're just running away!" the cat scolded her, unsheathing its claws to intimidate her. "You have a responsibility to this world, Orihime. It had always been your destiny."

"Even if you did not choose this, you are the one tasked to carry the burden of this world," Ulquiorra added, speaking in monotone as usual.

Biting her lower lip, Orihime slowly rose to her feet. So, it was her responsibility to save their world, a destiny she could not escape. It upset her to think that she had no choice for the matter. _I want to go back home… _She wanted to see Uryuu and Tatsuki again, and her adoptive father. A sigh escaped her lips as she looked at everyone in the room. _I doubt they'll let me go home. But if I agree to help them then… _She closed her eyes for an instant and thought about it. After that, she took a breath and announced her decision. "I still do not wish to fight, but I will agree to train in order to hone my powers."

A big smile came upon Urahara's face. "That's great!" With a snap of his fingers, the sad-looking pigtailed girl came in, bringing with her a set of uniform. "This was prepared specially for you, Orihime-san." Ururu then knelt down before her and placed the uniform on the tatami floor.

"What is this?" Orihime questioned, going down on her knees to inspect the clothing.

"It's your uniform," Ururu replied, bowing her head. "I'm sure it will suit you." She stood up, turned on her heels and made her exit.

The hesitant girl held up the uniform in front of her and deeply sighed. Was she really going through with it? Why would destiny put her in such a dilemma? Once again she wished this was all just a big dream.

* * *

Silver eyes have feasted upon another wonder once again. A huge secret underground training area was located just below the shady candy shop. It was like a barren wasteland, full of huge rocks and dead trees. Did she really need all this space? Somehow, she had a bad feeling about the training. She couldn't help feeling nervous. Taking a deep breath, she stared up at the artificial sky. It seemed like the real thing. She was told by the black cat that Urahara was the one who made the sky and the training ground. But how did it fit under the shop would remain a mystery to her.

She took a good look at herself. The uniform was something she wasn't used to, but she found it rather nice. She wore a pink shitagi and a black kosode. The black skirt was a shortened version of a hakama and it was easy to move in and a pink obi sash was tied around her slim waist. She also wore a pair of white tabi and a waraji. Her hair was held back into a half ponytail held with a red clip, while some tresses of her hair framed her face.

"That outfit unexpectedly suits you," an emotionless voice spoke out of the blue, "though I would have preferred seeing you in white."

Orihime let out a shriek as she abruptly spun to face the owner's voice. "You scared me there," she said, looking distraught. "When did you get here?"

Ulquiorra sighed. "Just this second. Stop fussing over everything. It's quite annoying."

Scratching the back of her head, Orihime chuckled nervously. "Umm…Sorry about that, Ulquiorra-san," she said. "Are you the one who is going to train me?"

"No," he replied flatly. "I'm not the least bit interested in your training. You are still reluctant to do this, am I correct?" He could see the trouble and sadness in her eyes. She wasn't at all that difficult to read. This woman was more trouble than she's worth. She has yet to fully grasp her responsibilities. Nevertheless, she was the woman he was assigned to protect with his life.

"I am scared, Ulquiorra-san," Orihime said.

He stepped closer to her and took her hand, much to Orihime's surprise. "Fret not, I will not let you die," he said, and her expression immediately softened. "Do not misunderstand, woman. It is simply my duty to keep you alive and well." He pulled his other hand from his pocket and placed something into her palm.

Orihime blinked as she looked at the two small objects in her hand. It was two pieces of flower-shaped hairclips. They have such a lovely shade of blue and a rather fine shimmer to them. However, one of them was missing two petals. "Is this a gift, perhaps?" she asked innocently.

"It's the Shun Shun Rikka," he said.

"What?"

"When inactive, those creatures you refer to as fairies take the form of hairclips," he explained, slipping both hands back into his pockets. "I believe I've already mentioned this before."

"Hair accessories as weapons? This is the first time I've ever heard of it," Orihime said, gently stroking the hairclips.

"You have yet to recall anything from the past," Ulquiorra said. "Such a shame."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"There is no need to rush things," he promptly replied. "Everything will come back slowly."

Such puzzling worlds, she thought silently. Well, this world hardly made any sense to her. Looking back at the hairclips, she recalled her previous encounter with the ferocious panther and her first meeting with the Shun Shun Rikka fairies. They were all such a friendly bunch. It was kind of hard to believe that they could turn into something like hairclips. The world never ceased to amaze her.

_To be continued… _

* * *

**JC:** I made up the terms SOULENCE and METHERLANCE here just for the heck of it. LOL… I thought it sounded nice. I wanted to call them as PLUS and Gods, but I wanted something different here. If you want to picture Orihime's Shinigami outfit a lot clearly, just visit my DeviantART and look for the artwork entitled "Squad 4 Lt. Orihime Inoue". You can also visit my profile page for the direct link. I wrote a total of ten pages here. Never realized that it gotten so long. I just typed and typed. The next chapter will feature another promotional art and it's an UlquiHime one. Please review, okay? It's always nice to receive feedbacks. Don't waste time just by flaming a story senselessly. ^_^


	4. You've lost your Muchness

**JC:** I had this done like three days ago but couldn't update it since there were problems with my Net and FF. Now with the problems fixed, I present you Chapter 04. We met the Mad Hatter in the previous chapter and got some info about the races of the world. Orihime is an Angelice, a child born from a Soulence (ordinary being) and a Metherlance (god-like being), and she's been hailed as the Princess of Hibiscus Shield. In this chapter, you're gonna get a bit of UlquiHime moment and training session with Urahara and Ururu.

**Additional Note: **I've updated another Promotional Art for Angelice. The link is in my profile or you could just directly visit my DeviantArt page. My username there is **jczala**. The art is UlquiHime centric.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Bleach. Tite Kubo has that right. Various themes in this story is inspired by fairy tales and Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.

* * *

**Angelice**

Chapter 04: You've lost your Muchness

Orihime clutched onto Ulquiorra as Ururu almost struck her down with a deadly drop kick from above. She was completely torn between feeling awed and frightened by Ururu's strength. Who would have guessed that a young and sad-looking girl like Ururu could be so insanely strong? And why was she forced to fight Ururu anyway? She specifically remembered not agreeing to this, but sadly her pleas were ignored and Urahara was all enthusiastic about training her. Why must she undergo all of this? Were they truly sure she was their savior? She could just laugh at the thought of her holding a katana.

Ulquiorra was reprimanding her about her uselessness, making her feel worse than she already was. He was brutally frank with her, not once sparing a word of encouragement.

He carefully shoved her away from him, looking into her eyes with a gaze that can kill.

Orihime lowered her head and fidgeted with her skirt. "I'm sorry…" she said.

"Orihime-san, you have to put your heart into this," Urahara said, sitting casually on top of a huge boulder while fanning himself.

It was not like her to be pessimistic, but she could not possible meet their expectations. It was too much for an inexperienced girl like her. "I'm not fighting anyone," she said, looking up at Urahara. "I don't fight. So, please..."

Urahara grimaced. "You don't say?" he said, jumping off the rock. He landed in front of Orihime and kept his head low. "I guess this world has no hope after all." He sighed and walked away.

Astonished, Orihime ran after him. "Please wait, Urahara-san!" she called. "Please understand that I am unfit to be this world's hope."

The man whirled around and stared at her. "Orihime-san, I don't think you understand the position you're in right now." His voice sounded dangerous.

"I could not fight even if I wanted to," she muttered with a guilty look on her face.

"Where is the brave little girl I once knew?" Urahara said in a disappointed and mocking tone. "Your eyes don't have the same shimmer as before. Oh well… Come on, Ururu." He walked away again, with Ururu following suit.

She was speechless. Just what did Urahara mean? Did he once meet her when she was a child? She could not be certain.

Urahara and Ururu were long gone when she decided she had to apologize for letting him down. But can he really blame her for refusing? Everything was so puzzling. Now even her own identity was questionable. It was strange how Urahara and the cat seemed familiar with her, and Ulquiorra was certain that she was the owner of the Shun Shun Rikka.

"This is a burden you must shoulder," Ulquiorra told her.

She turned around to face him. "A burden that was forced upon me," she said. "Ulquiorra-san, if I must really do this, then I must learn more about the history of this farce. Please tell me what the Hollow King has done."

He lifted a hand to his left eye and pulled out his eyeball.

Orihime gasped in surprise, involuntary stepping back in fear. But Ulquiorra's free hand shot out and took hold of hers. "Be still," he told her. "I will show you everything." With that, he crushed his eyeball.

Small glittering particles scattered around Orihime. At that moment, her surroundings started to change. Before she knew it, she found herself in a large town with lively people celebrating a festival. Children and adults, warriors and merchants—all were in such a festive mood. Then she saw men clad in black robes underneath a white haori, riding horses as they paraded through the streets. Amongst these men was a woman of peerless beauty, riding on a pure white horse. Her long elegant kimono flowed behind her. She had such kind, gentle blue eyes, and long black hair that seemed so smooth.

In the center of the town square, she saw a dark-skinned woman with short dark hair, clad in black robes and a haori, kneeling down to honor the woman on the white horse. At this point, Orihime realized she was the Divine Queen.

Ulquiorra closed his eyes for an instant. "This is the day when darkness loomed over the land."

Tremor struck the hearts of people as black, insect wings blocked out the sun. It was a creature of grotesque proportions, like a large insect with a white mask, bulging eyes, sharp teeth, and menacing claws. This creature was built for destruction and killing.

The queen's bodyguards fought to defend the people. Large amount of spirit energy from the beast blazed over them, taking innocent lives in the process. Screams broke out as everyone ran in panic. The Queen engaged into battle, fighting lesser creatures that stormed the town. It was chaos everywhere.

"Aizen will appear…" Ulquiorra said.

Just then, Sousuke Aizen descended upon the queen and knocked her off the horse. Orihime was perplexed. The man known as the enemy of this world had such a kind-looking eyes behind the glasses. He wore a black robe, the same attire as the bodyguards were wearing, and had wavy brown hair.

Using a binding spell, he locked the queen in place, immobilizing her. Before the final strike was done, the dark-skinned woman blocked Aizen's sword with small sword and used a powerful blast of spiritual pressure to blow the man away. However, Aizen simply blocked the warrior's attack and knocked her up with one swing of the blade.

Orihime clamped her mouth in response. "No…"

Aizen then proceeded in slashing her shoulder and threw her to the wall.

Orihime wasn't so sure if she could keep watching. The man was cruel and vicious, not once did he show any mercy towards his opponents. And this was the man she was supposed to fight?

Snapping back into reality, Orihime suddenly felt weak on her knees and leaned on Ulquiorra for support. "For such a thing to happen…to the people and to that town…" She pulled away from him and lowered her gaze to the ground. "I'm truly sorry."

"The story is far from over, woman," Ulquiorra said, and she simply shook her head. "I see…You cannot bear seeing such turmoil and bloodshed, am I right?"

Orihime bit her lower lip and nodded. "I'm not used to seeing such violence." She balled her trembling hands into fists and looked straight into his green eyes. "But Aizen must be stopped! I'm going to lend you whatever help I can give. I have to admit that I'm still afraid, but I have to swallow my fears. If such a man is allowed to roam this world, then there will be no end to the suffering. It's not in my nature to fight, but I cannot stand people getting hurt."

"Will you stay true to your words?" Ulquiorra questioned.

"I can't guarantee anything, but I will help," she replied firmly.

"That's so great!" Urahara exclaimed who instantly appeared behind her back, making her jump towards Ulquiorra in fright. "Now those are the eyes I was talking about! You really are the Orihime-san I once knew."

Orihime was still holding a hand to her chest due to the earlier shock. "Um…About that…I've been meaning to ask you—"

"Ururu, you may start the training now!" Urahara called out, and Orihime paled immediately.

In no less than a second, Ururu came down from the sky. "Wait, I'm not prepared yet!" She yelped as she jumped out of the way. "Please, you don't have to be so brutal. I'm a complete beginner!" Ururu started assaulting her with punches and kicks, and Orihime, for some reason, was doing well evading the attacks.

Urahara chuckled as he crossed his arms. "Looks like it's coming back to her little by little," he said cheerfully. "You know, I have to thank you for this. You brought back her confidence."

Ulquiorra shrugged. "I merely showed her a bit of the past. There was nothing special about it."

Orihime almost tripped after dodging another one of Ururu's lethal punches. _I'm not sure how, but I can somehow read her movements. _She ducked to avoid a roundhouse kick and jumped over a rock. _I can't dodge her forever. I need to attack. But can I really fight such a little girl? _She leaped away before Ururu destroyed the rock behind her. _What is the purpose of this training anyway? Is it to improve my combat abilities? Or is it something else? _

Finally catching her off guard, Ururu kicked her on the side, sending her flying across the field. Orihime landed roughly on the ground, scraping both her knees and elbows.

"Oh, that's gotta hurt," Urahara said.

"Do you find pleasure in the pain of others?" Ulquiorra said, prompting the happy-go-lucky man to feign innocence with a smile. "Do not patronize me, Urahara Kisuke, and I cannot have you disrespect the princess."

Lifting a fan over his mouth, Urahara chuckled. "You act so coldly in front of her, yet when she's not around, you're very protective. It seems like old feelings are hard to get rid of." He patted Ulquiorra's shoulder. "It's such a shame that the princess does not remember you."

Green eyes glared straight into the man's soul. "May I remind you that her memories are as vague as the mists that haunt the forests at night? Her spiritual pressure has yet to be completely unsealed. However, her fighting prowess is returning and she herself is wondering how she came to possess it." He brushed the hand off his shoulder and took a few steps forward. "It's been far too long. The people of this world wishes to experience the joys of peace once more."

The woman got back up on her feet once more, and Ururu proceeded to attack. This time, however, the woman was able to block the punch with her own hand. It was a rather impressive display, and Ulquiorra could see the determination in her silver orbs. She was not afraid to take challenge now. Little by little, she was returning.

"Sorry for doing this, Ururu-chan," Orihime said, launching a straight punch at the girl's face, whipping her head back.

Ururu's hands quickly shot to the side of her face as she staggered backward. Her whole body froze in a state of shock.

"Uh-oh…" Urahara muttered. "This isn't good. Better get in there, Ulquiorra-san, or else the princess is going to have a cracked skull."

Ulquiorra raised a brow. "And what good will it bring to put a halt to her training now?"

"Ururu is no ordinary girl and now that she's been hit, well…Let's just say that things are going to get real ugly," Urahara explained in a sing-song manner.

Orihime stared questionably at Ururu, who seemed to have stopped moving. Did she punch the girl so hard to leave her in such a state? "Um…Ururu-chan, I'm really sorry for hitting you," she said. "Ururu-chan?" She was worried. What if she really hurt the little girl?

Ururu raised her head, and Orihime saw the blank expression on her face. It was like she was possessed or something. Worried as she was, Orihime felt the need to fear the girl more. She was sensing a dangerous aura flowing. Then in a blink of an eye, Ururu disappeared and reappeared behind her, swinging her leg straight at her back. She was sent wide across the field, straight towards a boulder. Before she hit the mark, Ururu appeared to kick her like a ball. Closing her eyes, Orihime prepared for the worse. She could see it now—broken bones, scrapes, injuries, and the redness of blood. It was going to come. However, in a heartbeat's moment, she felt strange warmth enveloping her body. She opened her eyes once more and found herself staring into cold, green eyes. She then realized she was being carried by Ulquiorra.

"We made it just in time." It was Urahara's voice.

Confused and utterly surprised, Orihime took a moment to look at the current situation and understood what happened. Ururu's attack never came because Urahara intercepted the kick with his hand. And her mid-flight had ceased because Ulquiorra caught her. It was rather unbelievable how Urahara and Ulquiorra were able to react so quickly.

"I-I…I must eliminate target," Ururu muttered, pressing her strength forward. "Eliminate…Eliminate." She was chanting like some kind of mechanical robot.

Urahara sighed and pressed her leg down. "It's all right now. You don't need to eliminate anyone." There was a negative response from Ururu, so quickly he pulled her into his embrace. "There's no need to fight. Your job is done."

"W-What is the matter with her, Urahara-san?" Orihime asked.

"Tessai-san," Urahara called, and the bearded muscled-man appeared right beside him. "Please take Ururu inside. She needs some rest." There was mild sadness noted in his tone.

"Right away, sir," Tessai responded, gathering Ururu into his strong arms. The girl's expression remained blank.

When Tessai went away, Urahara faced Orihime, tipped off his hat, and bowed down. "My sincerest apology, Orihime-san," he said, "I never expected you to be able to activate Ururu's Genocide Mode. As you have just witnessed, Ururu is not your average little girl. She possesses abilities which far exceed that of that a Soulence. She becomes a savage killing machine whenever she feels a threat to her life, especially if her opponents possess immense Spiritual Pressure."

Orihime swallowed. "And how did I become a threat to her? All I did was punch the girl."

Urahara straightened and put on his hat again. "That all it took to activate her Genocide Mode. When you punched her, you also released a little amount of Spiritual Pressure. The spiritual power lying dormant inside you is slowly reviving. As the Angelice, your Spiritual Pressure is uniquely different from the rest of us and can be considered as dangerous."

Silver eyes grew as wide as saucers. "Dangerous? But that's—" Pain lurched from her chest. She brought a hand immediately to her mouth as she coughed violently. Then when she felt something warm and fresh in the palm of her hand, she gazed at it only to see her own blood. "W-What…?"

"You've taken damage," Ulquiorra stated. "You need to rest."

"Ururu really kicked you hard," Urahara commented.

Tension ripped through the air the instant Ulquiorra's grip on her shoulder became tighter. She winced slightly at this but did not make any sound. She could somehow felt anger coming from Ulquiorra, though his face remained emotionless. Was he really angry? Or just irritated? But for what reason? Ignoring the pain of her body, she glanced back at the blonde man who had nothing but regret in his eyes. Yet the regret was hidden under his happy-go-lucky smile. Orihime had to wonder why these people were putting so much effort in masking their true feelings and emotions as if it was normal to them.

Ulquiorra spun on one heel, pressing Orihime much firmly against his chest. It felt like he never wanted to let her go. "Urahara Kisuke, you were aware of that girl's Genocide Mode, yet you put her against the princess, who has yet to recover her spiritual powers completely. Be grateful the damage was minimal or else I would have been forced to kill that girl. You swore never to commit any mistakes again and I expect you to live up to that promise." With that, he used his speed technique to disappear from sight, along with Orihime in his arms.

* * *

When she was healed and escorted to her room, Orihime finally released the long, pent-up breath she didn't know she was holding. Her room was a simple traditional Japanese bedroom, though it was much smaller than her room back in the real world. She wondered if every single day would be as nerve-wrecking like today. Her hair felt like string, her mouth like cotton, and her heart like lead. She closed her eyes and sat down on the futon.

"What have I gotten myself into?" she said, heaving a big sigh.

She had been instructed to wash up and changed into her night clothes before dinner. It was a relief to know that a bath was prepared for her. She dressed into a white robe and gathered the needed toiletries before proceeding to the bathroom. The warm water was almost to the edge of the tub and it felt good as she dipped her hand.

"A nice bath would help clear my mind."

She took off her robe and let it fall to the floor around her feet. She let herself slowly into the tub and closed her eyes as she lay there. It didn't take long until sleep took over.

* * *

She was completely unaware of how beautiful she was, how long and slender her legs, how graceful her hips, or how tempting her breasts were. She saw none of it. She just lay there, sleeping so soundly, as her mind drifted in dreams.

Ulquiorra knew she'd been there for a long time when the water had grown cold. How careless she was to leave the door unlocked while she bathed. Does she not realize how vulnerable she was?

Walking with the soundless grace of a cat, he reached out to her and touched the side of her face. He traced a finger down to her neck. She had very soft and smooth skin, and he could feel the warmth coming from her.

He withdrew his hand as soon as she stirred in her sleep. A soft moan escaped from her slightly parted lips. How long was she going to sleep? There was a probability that she could drown in the tub, and she was his responsibility.

Gripping her upper arm, he dug his fingernails into her skin until the pain jarred her eyes wide open. Before she could even look at him, he pulled her out of the water forcefully yet careful enough not to harm her.

"Ul-Ulquiorra-san?" she gasped, looking into his green eyes. She now stood before him, cold, confused, and naked. _Naked? _Her eyes grew as wide as saucers. "Don't look at me!" She struggled to pull away from his grasp, trying her best to cover herself up with her arms. His grip was tight around her arm. His nails were grazing her skin. But she did not care if it would leave a mark.

"Cease this useless struggle, woman." His voice was monotone, his eyes distant. "I have no interest in your body." No interest? He was clearly mocking himself.

But she continued to squirm under his eyes. "Let me go! Please!" When he finally released her, her clumsiness made her slip backward.

"What a foolish woman." His voice was calm and cold as he caught her and held her up.

"I-I'm sorry…" she said dizzily. Her cheeks were flushed pink, giving her delicate face more distinction.

"Dry yourself and get dressed," he said, turning on his heel and starting toward the door. "Your dinner is ready." After that he left her alone in the bathroom.

She surged to her feet, drowning her face in the water, feeling disgusted with herself for being so defenseless. She lifted her head to take a breath of air. Ulquiorra had seen her body. He was the first man to ever do so, and she felt so ashamed that it had to be someone she barely knew.

She dried herself off, and put on the attire that was hanging in the closet of her room. It was a beautiful nightdress made of fine silk, designed with laces, spaghetti straps, and a flowing skirt that failed to cover her legs up to her knees. The length was surely inconvenient for her. Still she had no choice. When she was all dressed, she turned around and gasped. He was standing there, looking at her with those cold eyes.

"Your meal is ready. Now eat."

"When did you get here?" Her voice staggered. "Ah! Don't tell me you were watching me dress? First the bathroom and now this?" Her face was red all over. Her emotions were a mix of anger and embarrassment.

"You jump to conclusions so quickly," he told her. "I arrived here when you had finished dressing. And if you'd rather not have eyes looking at you, I'd suggest you lock the door next time."

She puffed up her cheeks in a childish way. "Ulquiorra-san, I'm starting to wonder if you are a per—"

"It's time for dinner. I suggest you stop talking and start eating, woman."

The tray of food was on the table situated in one corner of the room.

She was in no mood to eat. She'd normally enjoy eating more than her own weight, but the entire situation simply crossed out her appetite. However, she knew too well that she was in no position to refuse.

"Do not make me repeat myself, woman."

She looked away, not daring to challenge him with her own eyes. She still couldn't get use to his coldness, and she wondered if she ever will.

* * *

The next day, an hour after breakfast, Orihime resumed her combat training. This time her sparring partner was none other than Kisuke Urahara himself. Indeed the man was agile and fierce. He executed his moves and swung his sword with unbelievable precision. Orihime could sense it in her blood that this man was made to kill. He may appear laid back and cheerful, but there were instances she could see the killing intent in his eyes. She found it more amazing that she was able to dodge every single one of his attacks. For some reason she could predict his movements.

"Is dodging the only thing you can do, Orihime-san?" Urahara told her, swinging his blade from above.

Orihime dodged it swiftly and jumped far away. "I have no means of attacking you," she said, and Urahara used his speed to move up close and attempted to slash her arm. But Orihime simply dodged it and ran as far as she could.

Urahara sighed and tapped the back of the sword on this shoulder. "Remember, this training isn't about combat strength," he explained. "This is all about using your powers. I'll keep on attacking you unless you use the Shun Shun Rikka."

From the very beginning she had tried so hard to use her powers again. She had called out the names of her fairies and chanted the kotodama. But not one of them came to her aid. She can't help but wonder why. Maybe she wasn't the Princess of the Hibiscus Shield after all? What happened before may be just a fluke.

"You're hesitating again, Orihime-san," Urahara said. "I thought you've already decided upon this. Why are you still questioning yourself?"

Her inability to summon her fairy-like creatures was taking a toll on her confidence. She recited the kotodama correctly, but they just won't appear. "I want to help this world… I want to learn more about my power, if it really is my power. I don't know why I can't summon them anymore."

"While your wasting time here, a lot of people are dying," Ulquiorra said, walking up to her, hands inside the pockets of his hakama as usual. Refusing to make eye contact, Orihime kept her head low. "You are the only one who can save this world, Inoue Orihime. You have the power to make a difference. Get rid of those questions in your mind and put your abilities to use. We have little time, including the time to think this over."

Orihime clenched her hands. "It's not that I want to fight…but I do want to protect the people of this world." She remembered the atrocity of the past Ulquiorra showed her and felt a pang of sadness and despair for the people who died. It was strange how she felt overwhelming compassion towards people who were not even of the same world as her. Her heart felt their pain. She closed her eyes and brought a hand to her chest. _In order to protect the people, I must fight._ _It was my careless actions that brought upon my brother's demise. He protected me because he had the strength to do so and died an honorable death. Now that I have powers, it's my turn to protect. _

Both hairpins gave out a remarkable sparkle for an instant that didn't go unnoticed by Urahara and Ulquiorra.

"Her spiritual pressure…" Lips curving into a smirk, Urahara raised his sword high. "Looks like things are gonna get serious. I might as well kick it up a notch."

As Orihime opened her eyes, both her hairpins glowed in radiant golden-orange. "Urahara-san, I will do my best for the sake of this world," she uttered.

Tipping his hat down to cover his eyes, he felt proud with the warm and amazing spiritual pressure coming from her. _Become stronger, Orihime-san… _He looked up at her once again and narrowed his gaze. "Awaken, Benihime!" he called out to his sword. In a matter of seconds, his sword took the form of a sleek medium-sized sword. The grip had a gentle decorative bend that ended at a crimson tassel dangling from the pommel. The crossguard was replaced with a U-shaped decoration covering the first three inches of the blade, with a flower petal design. A string was wrapped thrice around the hilt, with three-loop bow on one side and a folded paper decoration on the other. The blade was straight and slim, with a tip ending in a slanted edge.

During breakfast earlier Urahara explained to her about the Zanpakutou, the primary weapons of Soul Reapers. Each Soul Reaper carries a Zanpakutou and each is unique as the swords are both reflections of a Soul Reaper's soul and power.

With all that in mind, Orihime knew their training will become more extreme.

"Do you intend to kill her, Urahara Kisuke?" Ulquiorra questioned.

"If she's not strong enough, then she might as well be dead," Urahara said in such a carefree tone. "I can't be lenient, you know, and I'm sure you agree with me. I have to forge a savior out of her. " His blade glowed crimson red. "Scream, Benihime!" Swinging his sword horizontally in front, he fired a strong crimson-colored energy blast.

"Santen Kesshun, I reject!" Orihime recited the Kotodama with authority, and then three fairies emerged and formed a triangular shield in front of her. The blade made contact with the shield and dispersed into thin air.

"Not bad at all, Orihime-san," Urahara said, who appeared right behind her. He swung his sword immediately before she could move.

But the attack didn't reach because her shield blocked his sword in time. "Urahara-san, you sure have the habit of sneaking behind someone's back," she said, peering over right shoulder to give him a smile. "And you move with excellent stealth. You're like an assassin."

Urahara lightly chuckled and sheathed his sword. "That ends our training for today," he said. "You did well, Orihime-san."

"Thank you so much, Urahara-san," Orihime said, bowing to show her respect and sincere gratitude.

Ulquiorra twitched, sensing a disturbance in the air. He whipped his head around toward the entrance. "It seems they have returned," he said.

"They had their doubts and they're back to confirm it," Urahara replied, pulling out his fan and covering half of his face. "Ulquiorra-san, let's escort the young lady out while we still can. Tessai-san and the others will buy us some time."

The loud roar of the panther echoed through the air. Ulquiorra ceased Orihime and lifted her up bridal style. She questioned the situation, and Ulquiorra quickly told her that they had unwanted guests. No further questions were asked when Ulquiorra and Urahara began to run with the speed of a cheetah. She clung to the fabric of his uniform with all her might as the world blurred around her.

Ulquiorra and Urahara jumped over a huge boulder and went inside a tunnel, running flat out. They could see the light at the end of the tunnel straight ahead. But before they reached it, Urahara quickly spun around, taking his sword out, and conjured a hexagonal-shaped blood mist shield in front of him to block the incoming blade.

"Urahara-san!" Orihime called out, looking over Ulquiorra's shoulder.

Pulling to a halt, Ulquiorra carefully set the woman down and pulled out his sword. An enemy stood in their way, his sword pointed at them.

"We're trapped," Orihime said as a drop of sweat trickled down her face.

_To be continued… _

* * *

**JC: **It'll be a while till the other main characters will appear. I'm just starting to build a story around them as well. A Soul Reaper will confront Ulquiorra in the next chapter. It's one of the captains of the Gotei 13. Feel free to guess who it is. He's gonna take the role of the hound dog (well, similar in role no doubt). An intense, bittersweet scene between Ulquiorra and Orihime will also be highlighted in the next chapter. I hope you'll look forward to it. Let me hear your reviews! No flaming.


	5. Struggle in the Dog's Eyes

**JC:** We're already in the fifth chapter! Orihime's gonna have some memory lapses here. Of course, I didn't forget the passionate UlquiHime moment. You'll get to meet a new character here and he's one of the captains of the Gotei 13. I'm trying to work on a new fanart for this. I can't decide whether to do another UlquiHime one or just Orihime. I have to design a new outfit for her since she's gonna costume change again.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Bleach. Tite Kubo has that right. Various themes in this story is inspired by fairy tales and Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.

* * *

**Angelice**

Chapter 05: Aizen's puppet! Struggle in the Hound Dog's Eyes

Snow.

That was the first thing that came into her mind when she laid eyes on their new pursuer. He was a child, probably elementary level if he were attending school in her world. His hair had a spiky, smooth, snowy-white look to it. His eyes were a pair of brilliant turquoise gems but seemed to lack any life. He stood there, pointing a sword at them, clad in black robes, a white haori, and a brown cloak. He had a green sash around his shoulders, held together by a round clip. The sash held the sheath in place on his back. The sword in his hand had a guard in the shape of a four-pointed bronze-colored star. Its hilt was light blue.

The boy readied his stance, his eyes narrowed into slits. "Hand over the Angelice," he said.

"Even if you insist, I will never hand this woman over to Aizen," Ulquiorra replied coldly.

"Then I guess that leaves me no choice." He thrust forward and swung his blade at Ulquiorra. As two blades clashed, icy mists were released into the air. "We'll have to do this the hard way."

Orihime wrapped her arms around herself. The temperature in the air had gotten immensely cold, yet she felt an even colder air coming from Ulquiorra himself. And coming from behind her she felt the intense battle between Urahara and Gin Ichimaru.

"Your emotions are your own weakness," Ulquiorra said, pushing the young boy with his sword and immediately coming up from behind to strike. "You have your freedom, but you chose to be a puppet."

Clenching his teeth, the boy blocked Ulquiorra's attack, spun around and threw a back kick. But Ulquiorra moved away in time and fired a red projective from his hand. "That's nothing," the boy said, simply redirecting the projectile with his sword.

Rubbing her hands together, Orihime willed herself to stay standing. It amazed her that Ulquiorra could withstand such temperature. As she was watching their battle, she sensed hesitation from the silver-haired boy and she could tell that Ulquiorra was holding back. _And what did he mean when he said that he chose to be a puppet?_ She swallowed hard as their swords clashed once more. The anxiety was killing her. _This battle…They're not even out to kill each other._

Ulquiorra had managed to force the young boy out of the cave and shot out a barrage of red projectiles. Orihime had wasted no time in going after them while hoping for their safety. It was probably wrong to worry for an enemy, but she could feel the sadness in the boy's heart.

"I must capture the Angelice…for Aizen…" The young boy's body, now outlined in ice-cold, blue aura, gripped his sword tight with both hands. "Reign over the Frosted Heavens," he muttered, his spiritual pressure growing.

"What is he planning?" she questioned, and suddenly…

"_Enclose…" _

"_Grind!"_

"_Declare!" _

Both hands held her head immediately as her eyes widened in shock. Those voices in her head just now—what were they? And one of them sounded so familiar.

"HYOURINMARU!" exclaimed the boy. The sword extended in length and gained a crescent-shaped blade attached to its hilt by a long metal chain. Then an icy-blue water dragon emerged from his sword and came for Ulquiorra with its mouth gaping wide.

Ulquiorra held his ground and brought his sword in front of him. The dragon came with a mighty fury, but when it contacted his sword, the spiritual pressure contained in his own sword kept it at bay. As he sensed a mild change in spiritual pressure, he positioned his left hand under his right elbow, pointing right, and gathered a considerable amount of spiritual pressure at his fingertip. The moment the boy came running, attempting to past him from the right, he unleashed a large blast of spiritual energy, blowing the boy away.

But before the boy landed on thorn bushes, Orihime summoned her fairies and caught him with her shield. What compelled her to save him? Well, she couldn't understand herself. She wasn't even thinking when she sent out her fairies to catch him.

"Woman…" Ulquiorra's voice made her gasp loudly and raised her arms high in a form of surrender. "This is what I consider overreacting," he told her.

Stiffly, she turned her head at him and let out a nervous chuckle. "Umm…You're probably wondering why I saved him," she said. "You see…I…ah…"

Ulquiorra sighed. "No need to explain," he said, walking over to the fallen boy who was trying to get up. The damage he took was quite severe but not enough to kill him. "Your compassion is a part of who you are."

Orihime's heart skipped a beat. _He talks like he really knows me…_

The boy gripped the handle of his sword tightly with the deadly intent of attacking Ulquiorra, but stopped when Orihime ran right in front of him. "The Angelice?" Under Aizen's orders, they were forbidden to lay harm upon the Angelice no matter what.

"I'll drop you into that thorn bush if you dare to attack him," she said, putting up a brave face.

Ulquiorra couldn't help but raise a brow, crossed between feeling impressed and feeling utterly dismayed with her sudden actions. But it did surprise him to see her stepping up to the boy who wanted to capture her.

Realizing that he was sitting on the orange shield, the boy quickly jumped away and landed on top of a tree branch.

"The youngest captain of the 13 Court Guards, a prodigy who possesses one of the most powerful Zanpakutou in history, reduced to a mere hound dog for the Hollow King," Ulquiorra said, and the boy narrowed his gaze at him. "Hitsugaya Toushirou, you are immune to his mind control, yet you chose to follow his orders."

Toushirou jumped off the tree and landed on its roots. "They have my friend and lieutenant," he muttered under his breath.

No wonder she sensed such hesitation and sadness from the boy. He was merely forced by the Hollow King in order to keep his loved ones alive. He was carrying such a heavy burden for a boy his age. Orihime felt sorry for him. She wanted to help him somehow. She opened her mouth to speak but paused when she heard a loud explosion coming from the cave. She brought a hand to her lips in shock. Urahara and that fox-faced captain were in there. It must have been some battle. She had never seen Urahara fought seriously yet, but she could tell that he was highly skilled from the training they had. However, it worried her to no end to know that Gin Ichimaru was formidable as well.

Toushirou unleashed the water dragon again at Ulquiorra, then quickly threw the chain sickle at Orihime. Though Ulquiorra was able to block the dragon with his sword, the force was strong enough to push him back, while the chain wrapped around Orihime. "I've got you," he said, pulling her towards him with one tug.

She flew toward him, with the chains tight around her. She couldn't break free, but she knew she can avoid getting captured. Gaining composure, she flipped her body in mid-flight and got her two feet down on the ground, pulling herself to a stop. "Souten Kisshun," she uttered, and two fairies emerged from her hairpins and encased Toushirou in an oval barrier. "Now I've got you."

Maintaining calm, he swung his sword in attempt to break the barrier. However, his sword didn't even make a scratch. "Let me out of here this instant," he demanded, tugging on the chain, causing her to lose balance and drop down on her knees. "Don't test me, Angelice."

"You are in no position to make demands here, Hitsugaya Toushirou," Ulquiorra said, appearing right beside Orihime. The boy punched the barrier with his bare hand, another attempt to break it, but he only ended up getting hurt with a repelling shock. "Struggle if you must, it will do you no good. That barrier is not only used to heal the wounded, but it also used to imprison its target." He then took notice of the boy's grip on the chain, and quickly he cut the chain around Orihime. "I suggest that you surrender this instant."

Lowering his head in defeat, Toushirou dropped his sword. "This would mean the end for them," he said in a strained voice as he balled his hands into fists.

It pained her to see such misery. Through his eyes she felt the overwhelming determination to protect and to save what was important to him. She could see that he was tired of being somebody's puppet, yet she knew he had no choice but to serve. He may be a total stranger to her, nevertheless she felt compelled to help him. "Souten Kisshun, I reject," she muttered under her breath, and the barrier glowed brighter.

Turquoise eyes grew wide as saucers when his wounds were starting to heal with incredible speed. "What do you think you're doing?" he questioned in fury. "First, you saved me from falling, and now you're healing me? Why are you doing this to your enemy?"

Getting back on her feet, Orihime approached the boy and brought a hand against the barrier. "You're not my enemy, Toushirou-kun," she said, a warm, sincere expression present on her face. "We only have one common enemy and that is Aizen."

Toushirou narrowed his gaze. "I would gladly slaughter Aizen myself I had the chance, but I can't do anything to him because—"

"He has your friend and lieutenant," Orihime continued for him. "I understand…I understand your situation, Toushirou-kun, and I can see that you do not wish to hurt me or any other person."

Ulquiorra did not like where this was going, so he had to step in. "Woman, do not be so foolish enough to lend aid to this pitiable boy. He is nothing more than just a hound dog. Surely he will only turn against you once you release him. He deserves no sympathy, especially from you." Under such critical situations, he knew very well that it was difficult to put trust in people easily. "And let me remind you that the Divine Queen is expecting you. It is my duty to escort you to her."

"You better listen to him or else you'll regret it," Toushirou added, turning his gaze away.

"Ulquiorra, you yourself understand his situation. When you were fighting him earlier, I didn't sense any killing intent from you," she explained in a straight, clear voice, as she spared him a brief glance over her shoulder.

He could only offer silence in reply. The woman's empathetic nature was astounding to a fault. She was able to see through him despite masking his own emotions and thoughts.

A smile had graced her lips as she looked back at the boy. "And no, I won't regret it…" She pushed her hand through the barrier before the fairies returned to her hairpins, and then she placed a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'm fully aware of the dangers. But none of that matters because we're talking about lives here. I'm willing to put myself on the line to save the people you care about. Call me crazy but I'm serious." She then patted his shoulder.

"Ridiculous." Glaring up at her, Toushirou grabbed hold of her wrist. "What can you do with your current level of power?"

Orihime knelt down, meeting eye to eye with him. "The goal is to save your friends and not to confront any battles," she told him, feeling a surge of confidence, as Toushirou merely turned his head away. "They're imprisoned in one of the dungeons in Las Noches, right? Las Noches is a big place. I'm pretty sure we can avoid bumping into—" She stopped herself and clamped her mouth with her free hand. _Las Noches? What was I saying just now? _

"You all right?" Toushirou questioned, a bit surprised with her sudden silence, just before he sensed danger. Thinking fast, he removed the brown coat and wrapped it around Orihime, covering her head.

From above the trees surrounding them ten skeletal-looking men, clad in white-colored, black-outlined jackets with white hakama pants, all armed with swords, dropped down and surrounded them. But hardly had Orihime reacted in shock when these strange men suddenly moved toward them, and, in an instant, Orihime found herself wrapped in strong arms while Ulquiorra got pinned down on the ground by three of them. There was a moment's struggle but it was pointless, and soon Ulquiorra was disarmed and had his hands tied behind his back.

"The Calaveras," Toushirou muttered, narrowing his gaze.

"Ulquiorra-san!" Orihime called out of concern.

At that moment a silver-haired, fox-faced man came out of the trees, his hands tucked in his sleeves, and said: "Looks like this the end of the line for ya."

Orihime's eyes grew wide in shock. The man was none other than Gin Ichimaru, Aizen's right-hand man. Urahara was supposed to take care of him. But then she remembered the explosion a while ago. "W-What happened to Urahara-san? What did you do to him?"

"He's probably lying around somewhere, bleeding to death," he told her merrily.

She felt her knees turning jelly. "No…No…"

"Oh, don't be sad," Gin said, casually approaching her. "You should be happy coz yer gonna meet Captain Aizen soon."

This was such a dreadful moment. There was no way out of this.

"Reign over the Frosted Heavens, Hyourinmaru!"

The area was flooded with a cold yet intense spiritual pressure, which were all coming from Toushirou. Icy mists have enveloped them, temporarily taking away their sense of sight.

Panic strung from within her as she struggled to break from her captor. Just then, someone came up from behind them and knocked her captor out cold. She peered over her shoulder, half-expecting it to be Ulquiorra, but to her surprise it was Toushirou. "Go south to Rukongai District," he hissed under his breath. "The Court of Pure Souls is just beyond."

Orihime wanted to say that he should come with them, but Ulquiorra swept her off her feet and disappeared into the trees. She shut her eyes tight and clung to Ulquiorra's jacket as he jumped from tree to tree.

Behind them, she heard Toushirou yelling viciously. "BANKAI!"

Her heart pounded in trepidation. She knew what he was doing—distracting Gin Ichimaru and his subordinates. "Toushirou-kun…" She wanted to go back and help him. But he made a noble sacrifice, and she knew she had to respect that.

* * *

They hid themselves inside a cave, far from the scene in the woods. Orihime looked back at the forest. It's been hours since they've escaped from Gin Ichimaru, hours since she last felt Toushirou's spiritual pressure. Dusk was already vanishing into pitch darkness.

"Why worry for someone you barely know?" Ulquiorra questioned. He was leaning against the cave wall, staring into the back of her head, with hands inside his pockets as usual.

"He was so young…and he was struggling…" Orihime muttered under her breath, recalling the sad look in the boy's eyes, as she hugged the cloak against her chest. "So, Aizen would even go as far as using a boy like him..."

"It matters not whether you are young or old in Aizen's eyes. More to the point, that boy possesses keen intelligence and the strongest ice-type Zanpakutou in history. As one of the captains of the court, his combat skills are highly regarded by the veterans and the Divine Queen herself. Therefore, he is quite indispensable to Aizen."

Orihime turned to face him. "Ulquiorra-san, you said that Toushirou-kun was immune to Aizen's control. Why is that?"

"The reason is simple. Hitsugaya Toushirou is—" He was taken aback when Orihime suddenly dropped onto her knees, letting go of the cloak.

She was trembling vigorously as she held her head with both hands. "W-What…? What is this?" She was seeing various images in her head. There was a room coated in white, a window with bars, and she could see the crescent moon in the starless sky. Then there was someone speaking to her. The voice—it sounded like… "Ul-Ulquiorra?"

Hands touched the round of her shoulders, prompting her to look up into deep green eyes. Expressionless, as expected, but Orihime could feel a tinge of concern within.

"Ulquiorra-san…"

He carefully helped her rose to her feet and brushed the hair from her eyes, his thumb lingering on her brow.

Her heart skipped a beat. Though he said nothing, she knew that he was trying to console her. She offered him a small smile. "Ulquiorra-san…these images in my head…I don't understand them. And the voice…it was the sound of your voice."

Ulquiorra studied her, his lashes lowered as his gaze drifted to her lips. "Your memories are returning."

Orihime started to deny it, but the images of that crescent moon flashed like lightning in her head once more. She bit her lower lip and stared down at her feet. "If these memories are truly the key to my identity, then what about the memories I had with my brother for 12 years? What about the Inoue Orihime that grew up in Karakura Town? The Orihime who's best friends with Tatsuki-chan and Uryuu-kun…"

"Your memories of that world are no hoax." Ulquiorra reached out and tucked some hair behind her ear. "Neither are the memories of this world."

Orihime held her breath and closed her eyes. His fingertips were cold against her cheek. She felt a strange sensation budding inside her body. "Then the voice in my head…It was really you, right? Please tell me…Who are you to me?"

"It is better if you remember it on your own." He turned away.

"Ulquiorra-san, wait!" She followed to grasp his sleeve. "Please! You've got to tell me. I can feel that you're very important to me. And what about that kiss? You still haven't told me why you kissed me back then."

Even if he were to explain her past, it would only serve to confuse her more. Her impatience will only lead to more struggle. Her memories were such fragile things. There was no need to rush, yet the woman was being impossibly stubborn. Maybe it was for the sake of silencing her that he lunged for her, snaked his arms around her body and crushed his mouth against hers until she bumped into the cave wall. Or maybe he was kissing her because he found it difficult to control his desire for her.

He was expecting her to push him away, to slap him, to tell him that he was despicable. But, in return, she tugged him closer, kissing him as though she'd never get enough of him. All hesitation was replaced by a hot, sexual knowing. She tasted so sweet, just like he remembered her, and she was irresistible.

He had woven an enticing yet potent spell on her. She felt as if she was being drugged. Her body seemed to response to his kisses so naturally. Under such a situation, it would only be proper to push him away. But she was craving for him. It all felt so wrong for her, yet it felt so right.

Then his lips scalded her jaw and grazed down the side of her neck. At that point, she forgot to think at all. It was only when his hands slid toward her breasts that Orihime broke away to put some space between them.

Panting, with her heart pounding in her chest, she dropped onto her knees and embraced herself.

Ulquiorra stood there, watching her indifferently. "I suppose I should not have done that." His expression darkened. "It's best to spend the night here. The sun has already set and it'll be pitch black soon. I will go gather the necessary resources for our stay." After that, he turned to leave.

She ran two fingers across her lips, still tasting him, and wondered why she didn't hate it. "Ulquiorra-san…"

* * *

Ulquiorra had been gone for half an hour and she wished he would take his time. She wasn't ready to face him yet, not when the memory of their steamy kiss was still fresh in her mind. A strange land with enemies that wanted her for the powers she possessed, an enigmatic and melancholic man for a companion, a child-prodigy forced to be a puppet for a tyrant—she had encountered so many things, which gave her nothing but questions. And she was worried sick about Urahara and the others. She had no idea what happened to them after the explosion. Captain Ichimaru stated that Urahara was dying, but his words can't be trusted.

"Orihime." Someone called her name telepathically.

She turned around in surprise and saw no one. "Umm…Who's there?"

Two petals from one of her hairpins shone in a golden light as it flew out and materialized in front of her. It was one of the fairies capable of healing any wounds, the one with blonde hair and closed eyes, Shun'o.

"What's the matter, Shun'o?" she asked, holding out her hand where the fairy perched. "Is there something I can do for you?"

He looked down with a sad face. "I know a quick way to get your memories back, Orihime," he said.

This made Orihime very interested. "Please tell me," she said.

"Before I'll tell you, I want to clear some doubts." The little creature folded his arms in front of his chest and looked up at her sincerely. "Do you really believe that you are the Princess of the Hibiscus Shield? Should I regard the fact that you are seeking your lost memories as confirmation to who you are? I'm asking you this because there's still a part of you that doesn't believe in all of this."

"Yes," said Orihime, "what you're saying is true. I still have my doubts that I'm not the one everyone's talking about."

Shun'o sighed. "Ulquiorra would not have gone to great lengths to protect just any person," he explained. "And the silver-haired boy would not have just sacrificed himself if you weren't the princess."

Orihime felt the pang of guilt in her heart. "Toushirou-kun…" she muttered, remembering the pain and sadness in his eyes.

"You're planning on saving him, aren't you?" Shun'o asked.

"He wouldn't be there if it weren't for me," she said, balling her free hand into a hard fist. "I have to help him."

"I don't think Ulquiorra will let you."

"Where is the Hollow King's Castle?" she questioned, dismissing any thoughts about Ulquiorra.

"In Hueco Mundo, the realm of the Hollows," said the fairy. "It's also the place where you can find the key to your memories, Orihime."

"The more reason I have to go," she said firmly.

"Then you'll probably need a ride." A different voice was heard, and Orihime quickly peered over her shoulder only to see a familiar black cat with golden eyes. "I'll take you to Hueco Mundo."

She turned around to face the creature. "Yorouichi-san?"

"Let's not waste any more time, Orihime," the black cat said, lobbing a small round candy at the girl, which she caught with her free hand. "They've got Kisuke too."

"Urahara-san? So, he's alive?" A tidal wave of relief washed over her for an instant before she got worried again. She couldn't help but feel guilty for his capture. "I owe Urahara-san a lot, so I have to do my best to save him." She then plopped the candy into her mouth before she realized that she forgot to ask what it was for. "Umm…Yorouichi-san, this candy…?"

"It is going to shrink you down. It'll be much easier to carry you on my back when you're smaller."

Orihime didn't have time to react as her body shrank to the size of a gerbil, while Shun'o took flight in midair. "Wow! I'm so small!" she said excitedly. "If you were like the cats in my world, I'm sure you'd given me a chase by now." She giggled.

Yorouichi merely raised a brow. "I am not sure what goes in that head of yours, Orihime, but on to pressing matters," she demanded. "Hop on!"

"Good luck, Orihime," Shun'o said before returning back to her hairpin.

Orihime grabbed her fur and climbed up to sit on her shoulders. "I'm ready when you are, Yorouichi-san."

"Hold on tight," Yorouichi told her as she ran.

The cat ran like a speeding cheetah, dashing across fields and landscapes with no trouble at all. When she was a little girl, she had dreamed of riding on a pony or a Pegasus. Never did she expect that one day she would ride on a black cat through a strange land. She wouldn't call it a dream come true, but she would definitely mark it as a fun and thrilling experience.

Reaching the white barren desert, Orihime could see the pure white castle rising over the horizon. White sand whipped her face as Yorouichi's paws hammered the sandy surface. Howls and roars were heard as they drew closer to the fortress, and she realized that they must be the fallen souls, the Hollows. The cat slowed down as they reached the high, steep walls. Orihime dismounted and stared at the wall for a moment, then realized that she had to get big again.

"You can simply reject the effects of the candy I gave you with your own powers, Orihime," Yorouichi explained before she could even ask.

Orihime summoned Shun'o and Ayame to cast a barrier around her. It only took a few seconds to reverse the effects of the candy and bring her to normal size again. "It was nice being small," she said, wandering her gaze around. "All right! How do we get in, Yorouichi-san?"

"Las Noches has only one entrance," the cat said, pausing by the wall, "and it'll take us about a day to get to the gates even with my speed."

Orihime looked up at the walls again, then turned to gaze at the crescent moon up in the starless sky. Hueco Mundo, Las Noches—Nostalgia filled her senses. She had been here before and she had seen that moon in her memories. She was sure of it. "Yorouichi-san, Urahara-san and Toushirou-kun were captured because of me, and I won't rest till I see them again."

"You know, Ulquiorra's probably on his way here right now," Yorouichi said.

Orihime suddenly got the case of the chills. "I'm not going to stand here and wait for him," she said nervously. "We've gotta hurry! We've gotta hurry!"

The cat let out a sigh. "Like I said, there's no other way in except for the gates."

"Then we just have to blow a hole in the wall!" Orihime exclaimed, pointing at the wall, as she placed one balled hand on her hip.

An anime sweat-drop from the cat together with a face palm, Yorouichi muttered under a frustrated breath, "And how in the world are we supposed to blow a hole in the wall?"

Chuckling awkwardly, Orihime scratched the back of her head. "I have no idea," she said, and Yorouichi quickly pummeled her head, causing her to crouch down in pain. "Waaa….You didn't have to hit me." She was crying bubbly tears.

Just then, they heard loud scream of a child in trouble. Turning to the direction of the voice, Orihime and Yorouichi saw a little girl clad in a green cloak running away from a salamander-type Hollow, and the creature was gaining on the girl. What was the girl doing in Hueco Mundo in the first place? That she had no idea, but Orihime knew that she needed to save her. There was no time to have doubts about herself.

"Someone, please help me! Help me!" the little girl wailed.

The girl tripped on her own two feet and plummeted into the sand face first. Pushing herself up, she coughed out the sand that got into her mouth, and the moment she saw the ominous shadow looming over her, she couldn't help but tremble and cry in fear. Slowly she peered of over her shoulder and saw its mouth opening wide, preparing to devour her. The monster let out a slithering sound, and the girl shut her eyes tight.

But nothing happened. She was sure the Hollow was going to eat her alive. She opened her eyes, expecting to see the Hollow right in front of her face, but instead she saw long, flowing orange-hair and black robes. It was a woman. There was also a triangular shield before her and it was the thing that stopped the Hollow's attack.

_To be continued… _

* * *

**JC:** Hime's runaway from Ulquiorra! He won't like that one bit. He's very dedicated to his mission and he'll stop at nothing to get her back XD. I'm sure you can guess who the little girl is. So obvious! She's one of the main characters of this story. Another character will also make his appearance in the next chapter. His identity? That's for you to figure out. Please review! No Flaming.


	6. The Crims of the Soul Realm! Las Noches!

**JC:** Over a hundred reviews already! I'm on a roll! Thank you reviewers for the support and comments. I would like to express my extreme gratitude to **sakura_himeno **for promoting this story to her Bleach fan classmates and schoolmates. And she told me that a teacher once caught her and a friend of hers reading this story during a boring lecture XD. I'm sorry if Chapter 6 took so long. I've been very, very busy. Work, tutoring, and piano practice! Ugh! They tire me out.

**Additional Note: **Since we've hit March, I'll be busy again with tutoring my cousin. Don't expect a fast update. Another promotional art is going to be featured when I update Chapter 8. Look forward to it.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Bleach. Tite Kubo has that right. Various themes in this story is inspired by fairy tales and Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.

* * *

**Angelice**

Chapter 06: The Crims of the Soul Realm! Las Noches!

She was gone.

It was his duty to watch over her. It was his duty to protect her, to lead her away from harm. He shouldn't have let her out of his sight. He should have brought her with him when he went out to gather food and firewood. He should not have gotten so caught up with his own emotions. The lust for her proved to be far greater than he had anticipated. After kissing her, he knew that she would demand answers from him, so he had to leave her alone for a certain time. But it was a mistake on his part, a foolish mistake. The moment he had returned Orihime had been taken away by the cat.

The cat had purposely left a trail of spiritual pressure behind for him to follow. From the direction he was heading, he felt a strange foreboding feeling inside. To return to Hueco Mundo was too soon, yet it was the inevitable. As much as he dreaded the place, he had to go there and rescue Orihime.

As he was crossing an open field, he sensed a disturbance in the air. Pulling to a stop, he turned on his heel and saw something glimmer from afar. In a matter of seconds, he drew out his sword and successfully blocked a projectile, which shot out towards him like a missile. The projectile got lobbed away, and as it landed on the ground, Ulquiorra saw that it was a spiritual arrow bathed in a blue aura.

"Getting rusty, aren't we?" a voice spoke from behind him.

Ulquiorra dared not to turn or make any sudden movements. The mysterious attacker had already closed in on him and aimed an arrow right behind his head. "Lower your weapon," he commanded.

"Not unless you tell me what I need to know," he said with a voice firm and confident.

Sheathing his sword, Ulquiorra breathed a soft sigh. "Such an empty threat." He stuffed his hands inside his pockets. "This is not enough for me to feel the slightest bit of fear. Moreover, you and I are not enemies to begin with. You do not have a reason to kill me even if I stay silent."

"You haven't changed a bit, Ulquiorra," the mysterious attacker said, withdrawing his bow and arrow.

Casually Ulquiorra turned around to meet a pair of blue eyes. "I can say the same for you."

* * *

A portal of black torrential energy tore open as Sousuke Aizen rose from his throne. "I'm going on a little trip, so I'm leaving you in charge, Gin," he said, his voice smooth and confident, as the fox-faced man came out of the shadows. "It's a shame the Angelice has not been caught yet. I would like to very much meet her. Perhaps you'll have her by the time I get back?"

The sly smile on Gin's face grew wider. "Maybe yes, maybe no, who knows? With Ulquiorra baby-sitting her, you can't expect it to be so easy." He tucked his hands into his sleeves. "But rest assured, Captain Aizen, I will capture her."

"You do always get the job done," Aizen said, stepping into the portal.

"Why, thank you," Gin said, slightly bowing his head. "By the way, where are you going?"

"To retrieve the last piece of the puzzle," Aizen replied, as the portal started to close.

"So you've found it?"

A malicious grin etched on his face, Aizen spun on his heel to stare right at Gin. "The time of carnage…" The portal slowly closed until the only visible thing was his mouth. "…is drawing near once again." After that, the portal disappeared.

Gin's face darkened. "So…he finally found it…" he muttered under his breath. "Things are going to get more interesting."

* * *

"Are you all right?"

The little girl, clad in a green cloak, looked up at Orihime, with tears still streaming down her face. She thought she was going to be eaten alive by that scary Hollow creature that was after her, but she was saved much to her relief.

The Hollow struggled to breach the barrier Orihime set up in front of her. Every time the Hollow made contact with the barrier, it rejected its advancement, repelling it like an electric fence. But Orihime knew she had to do something other than defense in order to drive the Hollow away. "Yorouichi-san, please take care of her," she said, full gaze on the Hollow, as she brought her hands to the hairpins. The moment Yorouichi dragged the child away, the Hollow tried to come after them. "I won't let you!" Orihime blocked the creature's path with her shield and pushed it back. Angered by her intervention, the Hollow unleashed a surge of spiritual energy from its mouth and towards her.

"Orihime, it's a Cero!" the black cat yelled out.

Forming a triangle with her hands, Orihime called out Hinagiku, Baigon and Lily just in time to block the Cero attack. After that, the Hollow ran up to her in a snake-like movement and lashed out its tail only to be blocked by her shield once more. _Ulquiorra-san's not here to protect me, so I have to deal with this on my own. But I can't defeat this Hollow if all I do is block its attacks. If only I knew how to use my Shun Shun Rikka's offensive technique. _As the Hollow whipped its tail, Orihime flipped backwards and landed gracefully on the sandy ground. _I guess I have to compromise. _

"I-Is she gonna be all right?" the little girl asked the cat in a shaky voice.

"If and ever she fails to defeat this one measly Hollow, then this world has lost its only hope," the cat replied somberly.

The Hollow was charging up for a Cero attack again. Nevertheless, Orihime was prepared. "Hinagiku, Baigon, Lily!" she summoned, and the three fairies swarmed around the Hollow. "Santen Kesshun!" With that command, the three fairies created a triangular shield below the Hollow's feet and rapidly lifted it into the air, thus stopping it from charging. "All right, NOW!" The shield disappeared from under its feet and reappeared above its head. In a blink of an eye, the shield pinned it to the ground, swatting it as if it was no more than a mere fly.

Yorouichi was very impressed with her strategy. "Brings back memories."

Orihime was not done with it yet. Since they needed a faster way to get into Las Noches, she decided to tear down the wall. And by doing so, she needed to use the Hollow. "Here we go!" she exclaimed, raising her arm into the air, as she conjured a shield under the Hollow again. Lifting it up, she hauled it over to the wall with great force. As a result, a giant hole was created. "Yorouichi-san, we can go in now!"

A sweat-drop trickled down the cat's face. "What a glamorous way to make an entrance," she said sarcastically, bringing a paw to her temple. "And here I thought we can just sneak in quietly. No worries though, since this is the South Eastern Area of Las Noches. The chief guard around here is one of our spies."

Orihime knelt down to the level of the girl and smiled. "Well, if that's the case, we have nothing to worry about," she said, patting the girl's head. "So, are you hurt somewhere?"

The little girl took off her hood and presented a goofy smile on her face. "Nel is OKAY!" she admitted proudly.

Orihime and Yorouichi were surprised by the girl's appearance. The little girl had a mask fragment on top of her head, a cartoonish skull to be exact, which could only mean one thing—she was a Hollow!

"I never expected to see a Hollow this small," Orihime said, turning her head to the black cat. "And she looks human. Are you sure she's a Hollow?"

"HOW RUDE!" the child wailed, flailing her arms up and down. "Nel is a real Hollow and not just any Hollow—Nel is an Arrancar!" She placed both hands on her hips with a smug on her face.

A question mark popped out of Orihime's head. "Arrancar? Is that a type of Hollow?"

"Arrancars are the result of Hollows removing their masks, thus gaining more strength and power. They take on a new form but will still retain remnants of their past selves, like fragments of their removed masks and a Hollow hole. High-level Hollows are the ones who are guaranteed to get humanoid forms. The closer one looks to a Hollow or to their former appearance, the lower its spiritual power and intelligence. Natural-born Arrancars are quite rare around here, but Aizen found away to create Arrancars artificially," Yorouichi explained, examining the Arrancar girl from head to toe.

The girl shrugged. "Nel's a natural-born Arrancar!"

"So, Nel's your name? Sounds cute," Orihime told her, placing hand on top of her head.

"It's Nel Tu!" The girl smiled widely. "But you can call me Nel."

"All right, Nel-chan, listen… Yorouichi-san and I have to go. We have to save our friends inside Las Noches."

"Your friends?"

"It was really nice meeting you, Nel-chan." Orihime stood up and faced the big hole she made. "Here goes," she muttered, taking a deep breath. The instant she took a step forward something latched onto her leg and upset her balance, causing her to fall face first into the sand. After lying in the sand for about 5 seconds, Orihime pushed herself up, coughing out sand from her mouth, and peered back to see Nel hugging one of her legs.

"Are you crazy?" Nel exclaimed, getting back up. "You can't just waltz into that place! It's too dangerous!"

"But I have to save my friends, Nel-chan," Orihime reasoned.

A smirk for a smile, Nel tapped her chest with a balled hand and said, "You'll need me if you wanna find your friends." With that said, Orihime and Yorouichi just stared at her confusingly. "I know my way around Las Noches! I need to repay you for saving my life, so let me help you!"

The cat deeply sighed. "I don't think she'll take no for an answer, Orihime," she said. "But, if you want my opinion, it's best to take her with us as our guide. I don't sense any malice from her, so it's safe to trust her, even though she's an Arrancar."

Orihime wanted to protest. She didn't want to put Nel's life in danger by having her come with them. Who knows what danger awaits them in Las Noches? But she figured that Nel will keep on insisting and she will never hear the end of it. In addition to that, she didn't want to upset the little girl too. "Nel-chan, you can come with us, but you have to promise me one thing," she said, getting up on her feet and dusting off the sand from her robes.

"Sure, what is it?" Nel asked.

"When things get tough, you have to run to safety quick, okay?"

Bringing her hands together behind her back, Nel lowered her head and pouted. "You don't have to tell me that," she said, kicking the sand. "I won't be a bother."

"Then let's go," Orihime said.

Orihime, Yorouichi and Nel walked through the hole, careful around the rubble and the fallen Hollow. For a moment Orihime was afraid that the Hollow would wake up, but Yorouichi assured her that it was knocked out cold due to her shield earlier. Since there were no guards around, Orihime carried the Hollow outside with her shield and fixed the hole using Souten Kisshun.

They found themselves in a large hallway. The walls, the ceilings, the columns and the floors were all coated in white. The place was spotless. They followed Nel down the hallways until they reached the exit where they spotted a guard.

And this wasn't just any guard. It was female with hair tied in two pigtails and she was filing her nails without a care in the world.

The guard seemed very familiar to Orihime. "Isn't that…?" It was at the tip of her tongue.

"Loly!" Nel uttered in glee as she ran towards the guard.

"Loly?" Orihime muttered, recalling her first meeting with her. She hasn't seen her since that white panther came to attack her and Ulquiorra. "Why is she here?" And to spike her curiosity more, she noticed a mask with teeth covering her left eye which seemed to be connected to the hair tie on the left. _A mask? Is she an Arrancar? _

A cross between being surprised and disgusted, Loly pointed a finger at the incoming child. "Don't come any closer, you snot-nosed brat!" she exclaimed.

Nel still came and tackled her to the ground. "I've missed you, Loly!" she said, giggling and snuggling against Loly.

_Loly-san must be the chief guard Yorouichi-san was talking about, _Orihime thought.

"GET OFF OF ME!" Loly shouted, flinging Nel into the air, as she got up. When Nel came falling down, she easily caught her by the cloak. "Annoying little brat! Why are you here?" She threw a piercing glare at Orihime. "And you! Shouldn't you be at the Divine Queen's palace? Where's that Ulquiorra?"

"I've come to save Urahara-san and Toushirou-kun," said Orihime.

Loly dropped the little girl so suddenly, and Nel landed with a loud thud. She couldn't care less when Nel started complaining to her. "You came all the way here to save that Mr. Hat and Clogs and that midget captain?" She marched up to Orihime and practically shoved a finger in her face. "You're not rescuing anyone, being the way you are now."

Loly had a point, Orihime thought for a moment. "But I can also find the key to my memories here. If my memories return, then I can use my powers more efficiently and I—"

"You should have brought Ulquiorra with you!" said Loly. She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed. "Then again…I don't think he'll let you come here."

"Loly, I brought Orihime here because you and the others informed me that the seal can only be broken by her. Now tell us where we could find the key to her memories." Yorouichi demanded.

"I'm not exactly free to move around Las Noches," Loly replied with a shrug. "But the security's pretty tight around the 5th Tower. One of our comrades did find it. But when he tried to touch it he got turned into ashes. And from what I've heard from that Ichimaru guy, no one can go near it except for Aizen or this girl herself."

"Is there a safe route to the 5th Tower?"

"Yeah, as if!" Loly snorted, rolling her eyes away. "But that munchkin there can show you all the secret passageways here."

"Nel knows way more than Loly because Nel's smarter!" Nel said proudly only to receive a deadly glare from Loly in return. "Hey! Nel's just telling the truth."

"Just shut your trap, squirt!" Loly exclaimed angrily.

"First things first, we have to save Urahara-san and Toushirou-kun," Orihime said. Getting her memories back was important too, but she was more concerned about the lives of her two friends. "Loly, do you know where they are?"

"They're in the dungeons, duh! Where else would they be imprisoned?" Loly retorted. "Just use the secret passageways and try to avoid any confrontations. Hide your spiritual pressures too! Remember, you're in enemy territory."

Loly may act snooty but she has some good points to her character, Orihime thought with a smile. "Thank you, Loly-san," she told her, bowing her head. "We'll be on our way now."

"Like, whatever," replied Loly. "Oh, by the way, black is so not your color."

Orihime blinked in surprise. "Err…What?"

Crossing her arms, Loly turned her head away with a shrug. "You'll look better in white."

"Pardon?"

"Hime-chan, you coming or not?" Nel yelled out to her.

Orihime freaked out a bit when she saw Nel and Yorouichi already distances away. They were leaving without her. "Um…Wait for me!" she said, running after them.

* * *

Across the Rukon District, far on the other side of Soul Society, a snowy white-haired boy galloped through the devastated town on a brown horse toward the Divine Queen's palace.

In her courtyard, the Divine Queen, the very definition of beauty and elegance, was speaking with a man cloaked in white.

"We must get to it before the Hollow King does," the queen said.

"Yes, Your Highness," the man answered.

"I have full faith in you. Now please excuse me for a moment. I have to greet our guest."

"Of course, Your Highness," the man said with a bow.

As the boy pulled the horse to a stop, he fell down from the steed. Badly injured from battle, he struggled back to his feet and staggered into the Queen's courtyard, leaving a trail of blood. His vision was blurring. He felt faint.

"Captain Hitsugaya?" It was the Divine Queen's voice.

He didn't have the strength to bow anymore. He was going to crumble. But before his body hit the ground he got caught by the Divine Queen, who then laid him gently on his back on the ground. "Your Highness…" he muttered, panting.

The queen placed a hand on his chest. "Rest assured, I will heal your wounds this instant," she said in her soft, kind voice. Her hand bathed in a warm, green light, so soothing against his chest. It was the queen's healing powers at work.

"Your Highness, forgive me, I was weak. I couldn't protect Soul Society," he said, flinching with guilt. "I couldn't protect my friends. I let Aizen manipulate me like a puppet. I'm a failure as a Soul Reaper, as a Captain."

"You made mistakes, but you are not a failure, Captain Hitsugaya."

His wounds were slowly healing and his strength was being replenished, but his heart was heavy like lead. "Your highness, I almost hurt the princess," he said, turning his head away from the blue gaze of the queen. "In spite of that, she wanted to help me. She was willing to risk her life for a stranger. She's strong... But she's strayed from her path. I felt her Spiritual Pressure…She's probably in Hueco Mundo. Your Highness, this is my fault."

The queen shook her head, her smile widening. "No, it is not. You have not diverted her from her path. She will find the key to her memories in Hueco Mundo," she explained. "The Princess of the Hibiscus Shield will return. Now you must rest, Captain Hitsugaya. You've done well."

Exhausted, the young captain closed his eyes and within minutes fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

"Why do you know these secret passageways, Nel-chan?" Orihime asked, as she, Yorouchi and Nel were crawling through a narrow passageway with Shun'o as their only light source. They've been sneaking around for about an hour now, avoiding guards, and taking the best possible routes to the dungeon prison. The whole place was a labyrinth. One can get easily lost there, but Nel practically had a map drawn in her head. She knew exactly where to go and what lied ahead. It was amazing and quite suspicious.

"Nel just knows," Nel replied in a sing-song manner.

Yorouichi narrowed her gaze. "Only Arrancars chosen or made by Aizen are allowed to step foot in Las Noches. Why does a young Arrancar like you, who clearly possesses no fighting prowess, seem familiar with this place?"

"Nel's past memories are really blurry, but believe it or not I am a prisoner here. My room is in the third tower of Las Noches. Aizen-sama keeps me locked up for some reason."

"You're one of Aizen's prisoners too? How did you end up in the desert?" Orihime asked concernedly.

Yorouichi sighed. "Question here is how did you get out of your room if it's locked?"

"And how do you know Loly-san?" Orihime added.

"Nel knows the secret passageways better than Aizen-sama. Funny, right? There's a secret door in my room that leads to the outside. I was so bored that I decided to come out and play." She peered over her shoulder to look at Orihime. "Loly was my personal guard before she escaped from this place not too long ago. Too bad she got captured and was forced to wear that mask."

"A Synthetic Mask," Yorouichi said. "Loly was an artificially-created Arrancar and one of the most loyal to Aizen. You could say that she was in love with him. But all of that changed when Aizen killed her sister, Menoly, for failing a mission. Loly was part of that mission too, but her special abilities were an asset to Aizen, so he spared her."

"How horrible," Orihime muttered under her breath.

"Loly refused to become a tool for her sister's murderer, so she tore off her mask completely. Once an Arrancar removes his mask fragment they can either die or transform into a Necrozard. A Necrozard is a Soulence by 3/4 of his blood and a Hollow by the other 1/4. Loly is currently a Necrozard."

"But what about the mask?"

"Loly's wearing a Synthetic Mask," Yorouichi said. "His mind control cannot affect hybrids because of their mixed blood. But he found a way to control Necrozards and developed the Synthetic Mask."

"When inactive it's just a regular mask and the wearer can move about freely, but Aizen can control them like puppets whenever he wants to," Orihime continued, and the cat cast a surprise look. She became surprised herself. _H-How did I know that? _

After going through the narrow passageway, they headed straight down a huge hallway until they reached a fork in the road. Nel thought hard for a moment, tapping a finger on her chin, before she pointed left. She warned that it was going to be dangerous from here on, and Orihime couldn't help but swallow hard.

As they took that route, a trap hole opened below Orihime's feet and swallowed her whole before it closed up again. Nel and Yorouichi barely had time to react to their friend's distress when a giant concrete ball suddenly came rolling towards them. Nel let out an ear-splitting scream before she and the cat sprinted away.

* * *

Orihime was falling and falling and falling, and her fairies all materialized and were about to save her until she landed in the arms of someone, and then they flew out of sight but did not return to their inactive state. She had her eyes closed the whole time she was falling to her apparent doom, so she had no idea that she was in for the shock of her life when she looked up at her savior. Her whole body stiffened as her hands turned cold. She would rather crash land somewhere with broken bones than be saved by one of Aizen's strongest subordinates, Gin Ichimaru.

The sly smile on his face seemed to widen. "And what do we have here?" he asked in a devious tone. "Did I just catch a falling angel?"

"A-Angel?" echoed Orihime.

"From the looks of it, you're a Soul Reaper. Did you come to join Captain Aizen's army?"

"Yes, I've come to join!" Orihime said hastily, and then her hands bolted to where her hairpins were. To her surprise and utter relief, the petals were gone. But she could sense that her fairies were hiding from Gin.

Gin looked sceptical for a moment. "And where is your Zanpakutou?"

"I've lost it," said Orihime, quite nervously. It was a bit of relief to know that Gin didn't recognize her as the Angelice. During their encounter back at the woods, Toushirou took the initiative and wrapped her in his cloak, thus hiding her face from Gin. "I've encountered some pretty nasty Hollows on my way here and I—"

"Say no more," Gin cut her off, making her heart skip a beat. "I'll have my grunts go look for your sword. In the meantime, why don't you rest up? You've come a long way and I'm sure you're tired."

She didn't think she would be able to lie to him nor did she think he would believe her. But what if he was just pretending? Well, it was a risk, but she'll just have to go along with it in the meantime. "T-Thank you, sir."

Like a gentleman, he carefully put her back on her feet. "First things first, we have to get you out of those clothes," he said, tucking his hands into his sleeves. "You'll certainly look better in white."

Orihime didn't have a moment to think about that comment as she was whirled off to another room by a female Arrancar, who was clad in a white-colored, black-lined long fitted dress, and had mask that simply covered her eyes.

Orihime was draped in a uniform that mainly consists of white and black fabric. The top went over the skirt and it was white with black linings. The white mini-skirt was serrated although the front part was flat and grey. The thigh high boots were black with white rims. The whole ensemble was uncomfortable for her. She tied her hair in a ponytail and hurried down a long hall after Gin.

The Arrancar soldiers that stood at attention as Gin swept past all looked petrified. This was life inside Las Noches— full of fear, sadness, doubt and misery. She would expect a veil of impossible terror over them if Aizen were around. They reached an elaborate throne room. A stone white throne stood at the far end.

She felt her knees getting weaker. It was the throne room! A throne room is the place where a king usually spends his time! Was she going to meet the Hollow King? The thought made her tremble. It was too soon. She wasn't ready to face him.

"I didn't catch your name yet," Gin said, and she immediately stiffened. "Do tell me your name, miss."

An Alias would be appropriate at this time. "My name is Alice, Sakura Alice," she replied.

"Alice, huh? What a nice name," Gin told Orihime. "So, Alice-chan, would you like to sit down on this throne?"

"I don't think it's appropriate for a Soul Reaper like me to sit down on the Hollow King's throne."

"Well, the Hollow King's not around, so it's okay. Now come and sit." Gin patted on the armrest.

This was all too suspicious. Why would Gin let her sit on the throne of his king? It had TRAP written all over it. Maybe Gin was aware that she was the Angelice since he doesn't seem to be the type to let others fool him. Of course, pretending to be a Soul Reaper was already a bad decision from the start and to keep up the charade was just making her more nervous, but he seemed to have believed her story—even the lie about the lost Zanpakutou. Otherwise, he should have already captured her.

"What's the matter, Alice-chan?" Gin asked.

"Nothing...I'm just...well, honored that's all!" Orihime sat gingerly on the throne.

"Do you feel like a princess now, Alice-chan?"

Orihime kept a normal expression in spite of her shock. "No, I don't. Guess I'm not royal enough." She let out an awkward chuckle.

Gin bent down, drawing his face closer to hers. "Why so tense, Alice-chan? You need to relax." He straightened and patted her head. "I know what you need to ease up." He waved his hand. "Send in the jesters."

To Orihime's horror, the pair that was dragged into the room was Pesche and Dondochakka. They were covered with wounds, though surprisingly superficial, and a long silver chain bound them together around their waists. Their eyes were lowered to the floor. They looked exhausted.

"Come on, now, entertain me and this pretty lady here," Gin said, taking a few steps forward.

Pesche lifted his head and looked up at Orihime. "Is that...?" He whacked Dondochakka. "Look, bro!"

Orihime shook her vigorously. _Don't blow my cover! Please! _She bowed her head and brought her hands together in a praying position. _Please don't! _

"Isn't that...?" Dondochakka started.

"Yes, she is!" Pesche continued. "Isn't she just the most beautiful girl ever?" He went on excitedly.

"She's very pretty indeed, don't cha know?" Dondochakka said.

Orihime sighed in relief. For a second there she thought they were going to blurt out that she was the Angelice. They seemed to have gotten the message.

"Enough with the compliments and get on with the program already," Gin said.

As they saluted, a tall, lanky Arrancar passed them, and they immediately cowered to a corner. His face was set in a huge smile. His black hair flowed past his shoulders, concealing the left side of his face with a white-colored, black-outlined eye-patch. He had a dark gray eye. His jacket was modified with an overblown spoon-like hood and an opening starting at the neckline, showing his midsection, and close at his waist. He wore a standard hakama but the ends of his pants closed inside extended, curved boots. He noticed Orihime and his eyebrows went up. "And who is this? Your new pet? And why is she sitting on Aizen's throne?"

Orihime's heart beat faster with fear. He was studying her as if she was something to eat. She did not like him one bit.

"This is Alice-chan," said Gin. "She's one of us."

"Really now? Mind if I take her under my wing?" he said with a wicked smile. "I'll be sure to treat her nicely."

Gin peered over his shoulder to look back at Orihime for a moment. "No can do, Nnoitora, cuz I saw her first," he said with a snicker. "By the way, any luck with the prisoner?"

"He's a stubborn jackass," grumbled the Arrancar.

"You've probably been too soft on him," Gin said. "Care to bring him over?"

Nnoitora had resentment flaring his eye. "BRING THAT DAMN BASTARD HERE!" he snapped.

A clatter at the door announced the arrival of the skull-headed guards with their prisoner. Orihime had to suppress a gasp as they hauled Kisuke Urahara into the room, chained by his hands and feet. He was terribly wounded, his clothes tattered. The hat, haori, his sword, and even his sandals were missing. But in spite of his condition, his eyes had not lost its light and a crafty smile was present on his face.

"We know the Princess of the Hibiscus Shield has returned to Soul Society," Gin said, casually as usual, drawing a sword to Urahara's face. "And we know you helped her escape. Tell us where she is."

"I've been considering things that begin with the letter M: mutiny, madness, miracle...memories," he said, emphasizing on the last word.

"You're not taking this seriously, Urahara-san," Gin said.

Urahara snickered. "Neither are you, Captain Ichimaru." His gaze then found Orihime. He gave her a cynical smile, and then turned back to the fox-faced captain. "Honestly, I have no idea where she's at. I do know that she's with Ulquiorra-san."

Nnoitora clenched his teeth hard. "Don't ever mention that bastard's name!" he shouted.

Orihime could sense rage burning inside of him. She wondered what Ulquiorra may have done to upset him so much.

"If you find him, then you'll definitely find the Angelice you're all looking for," Urahara said.

"Urahara-san has a point there," Gin said light-heartedly, sheathing his sword. "Okay, take him away, Nnoitora. You can do whatever you want with him. Just don't kill him or else Aizen-sama will have your head."

Orihime was only too glad that Nnoitora was leaving, although she was completely worried about Urahara. She had badly wanted to help him, but she knew she had to keep the charade going. Urahara played the part of the pretender as well, so she shouldn't let his efforts go to waste.

_To be continued…_

* * *

**JC: **Just so you know, Crims is the Red Queen's Castle in Alice in Wonderland. The Crims in this story is, not surprisingly, Las Noches. Necro means something that is dead and Zard was taken from the word Vizard (though it's translated as Visored now XD), thus forming the word Necrozard, a Soulence and Hollow hybrid. Nnoitora made his appearance here, along with a mysterious attacker who uses a bow and arrow. I'm sure you guys can guess who he is. Nel comes off as pretty mysterious here, don't ya think? Well, that's all for now. Please review! No Flaming!


	7. The Vorpal Sword Found

**JC:** My grandmother died a few days ago and I've been in the dumps. I was supposed to update this last two weeks ago when my grandmother got sick and hospitalized. I've been busy taking care of her and also doing my office work, and the birthday fic of my friend. Sometimes I just write that fic to relieve some stress. I couldn't stay online for long nor did I have the time to proofread this. Things have been hectic. I'm still feeling depressed and I'm missing my grandma like crazy. But I know she's in a better place now with God. I apologize for updating this story only now.

**Additional Note: **I've said that I was going to post a promotional art when I update chapter 8. Well, I've managed to finish the art already and it's now posted in my **DeviantArt** Account. You can also find the link in my FF profile page. The art is sort of spoilerish for this story…

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Bleach. Tite Kubo has that right. Various themes in this story is inspired by fairy tales and Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.

* * *

**Angelice**

Chapter 07: The Vorpal Sword Found

Slight trepidation coursed through her veins as she entered the prison cell where Urahara was held. An Arrancar servant was kind enough to show her the way.

Urahara was sitting in one corner, staring at the moon through the window bars. She could see bruises on his face and arms that weren't there before. It was obvious that Nnoitora gave him a beating, and Orihime felt terrible that she wasn't able to help him.

"I don't blame you for any of this, Orihime-san," Urahara said before she could speak. "This was my own undoing."

Instantly the Angelice ran towards him and embraced him. "It doesn't make me feel any less guilty," she said, pulling away and taking his face in her hands. "Urahara-san, let's get you out of here."

The fairies flew out of her pocket and appeared around them. She had hidden the hairpins inside her pocket instead of wearing them in order not to blow her cover.

Shun'o perched on Orihime's shoulder and took a good look at Urahara. "We should heal him first before making our escape," he suggested.

A smile graced the Angelice's lips. "You've read my mind," she said, taking a few steps back. "Shun'o, Ayame, Souten Kisshun! I reject!"

With that, the two fairies flew over to Urahara and formed a half-oval barrier around him. Impressed by such warmth and power, Urahara closed his eyes as he felt his strength returning. His body was reverting back to the state before he got injured. His heart filled with emotion as the healing process was complete.

"That's better," she said.

He placed both hands on her shoulders and looked into her silver eyes with a grateful expression. "Thank you, Orihime-san."

A cling and a clang interrupted their gentle moment. Sliding towards them on the ground was a katana, one that Urahara was very familiar with.

"Benihime?" Urahara took the sword into his hand.

"You're pretty pathetic to get yourself caught, Kisuke!" A voice that came from the shadows of the cell.

"What can I say? They wanted me so desperately that I had to give myself up," Urahara said with a chuckle. "Besides, I knew you'd bring Orihime-san with you to save me."

The cat rolled its eyes. "Stop flattering yourself and cut those chains already, you fool." She then jumped to Orihime's side. "I've scouted the dungeon. Hitsugaya Toushirou is nowhere to be found."

"Huh? Do you think he's being held in another place?" Orihime asked.

"You'll never gonna find that little kid here in Las Noches," Urahara said, cutting the chains that bind his hands and feet. "He got away before Captain Ichimaru got his hands on him. Captain Hitsugaya isn't a prodigy for nothing."

A surge of relief washed over Orihime like a giant wave. "I'm so glad that he got away." But her moment of relief was short-lived as she thought about Pesche and Dondochakka. "Yorouichi-san, have you seen Pesche and Dondochakka?"

"They're locked up in a laboratory. A demented scientist is gonna turn them into guinea pigs by tomorrow," the cat explained. "Not to worry though, since I'm going to save them."

"I also need to find Toushirou-kun's friend and lieutenant."

"They're in the cell just down the hall." the cat said.

"What about Nel-chan? Where is she?"

"You don't have to worry. She's in a safe place."

"That's good, but we still have to—" Orihime stopped when Urahara seized her hand. "Um...What is it?"

"I'm told Aizen keeps the key in the 5th Tower of Las Noches," Urahara said, keeping his voice low.

"And I will retrieve it," Orihime declared, standing up with a serious expression. "Yorouichi-san, Urahara-san, you two should go save Pesche, Dondochakka, and Toushirou-kun's friends."

Urahara grinned contritely, plainly concerned and impressed with the strength present in her eyes. "You are truly the Orihime-san I once knew," he said.

* * *

Orihime went down the long hall and stopped by a staircase leading to who knows where. She said that she would head to the 5th Tower, but she had no idea where to go. Considering how huge Las Noches was, she was certain that she herself would only wind up getting lost. She only wished she knew the place like Nel.

"Oh, but you do, Orihime," said Shun'o as he appeared before her. "You know this place well."

She cast him a look of confusion. "I don't understand."

"You'll understand what I mean once your memories return."

_"Your memories of that world are no hoax." Ulquiorra reached out and tucked some hair behind her ear. "Neither are the memories of this world." _

Orihime shook her head at the flashback. Her unknown past and the memories of the world in which she came from were all real according to Ulquiorra. The question here was how was that even possible? To have memories of both worlds? "Ever since I came to this world, I've been told of what I must do and who I must be." Shaking her head once again, she reminded herself she needed to focus on getting to the 5th Tower as soon as possible. "Shun'o, you told me that the Shun Shun Rikka is the manifestation of my power."

"We are one with your soul, Orihime," the fairy told her.

"And you still hold the memories I've lost. You have not forgotten about this place."

"Yes, that is true."

Orihime turned to the staircase. "Please lead me to the key, Shun'o," she said, and saw that Shun'o was deep in thoughts. "Shun'o, is something wrong?"

He paused, then looked up at her with a serious face. "It's nothing. Let's go."

Without another word, he led Orihime up the stairs. Orihime followed him through passages and up staircases, evading guards and random Arrancars. They've been lucky for the last fifteen minutes. It wasn't long till Orihime sensed a mysterious presence. Thinking fast, she silently ordered her fairies to hide, which they immediately did. She sensed the presence getting closer, practically breathing down her neck. She hastened, but her stalker yanked her arm. In an instant, she found herself pinned against the wall by Nnoitora, the Arrancar who tortured Urahara.

"Let me have a taste of you, girl," he murmured, licking down the side of her neck. Orihime gasped. "Relax...I'm not gonna hurt you."

Orihime struggled against him. She wasn't going to submit to this Arrancar. But as she flailed her arms helplessly, he threw her to the floor and pinned her down with his arms and the weight of his body. Her legs were forcefully parted by his own. The panic in her eyes made his smile grew. Her current expression was priceless to him. He wanted to bring her pain and suffering. He wanted to torture her, to tear her insides apart. "Get away from me!" she cried, and he trailed kisses from her cheek down to her neck. "NO!"

"Yes, scream some more!" he said with a snicker. He was enjoying this.

She could not let his happen to her. She must fight—even if it meant blowing her cover. "I REJECT!" she exclaimed.

Three golden spiritual projectiles fended off Nnoitora, knocking the wind out of him and sending him crashing into the ceiling. Orihime then back rolled and jumped away before Nnoitora came falling down with Hinagiku, Baigon, and Lily pressing against his back. Their powers of rejection in such a close range had rendered him unconscious.

"He won't be waking up anytime soon," Lily said, kicking his face. "Serves you right for touching our Orihime, you lecherous snake!" She stuck out her tongue before she, Hinagiku and Baigon returned to the pins in her pocket.

Orihime didn't look back as she ran away, but she could feel Shun'o following right behind her. Eventually, they reached the 5th Tower and stopped in front of a cold stone door.

"I can feel its presence," Shun'o said, pointing at the door.

Orihime pressed forward and pushed the door open. A wave of proverbial spiritual pressure filled her body, and she brought a hand to her heart. "This feeling..." she muttered under her breath. Her thoughts got disturbed almost immediately as a putrefying scent of spiritual pressure hit her. "This spiritual pressure...No, it can't be..." She peered inside and spotted the white panther lying on the floor with his head on its paws, just like how a regular cat would sleep.

"Why does it have to be that grumpy kitty-cat?" Lily grumbled. "I expected guards but not that cat." She crossed her arms.

Orihime studied the panther for a while, cupping her chin and tapping her cheek with her finger. "What should we do? Unless I have a death wish, we can't just barge in there."

"You need Nel-san for this," Shun'o said. "She'll know what to do."

A little girl like Nel taking on a vicious panther-like hollow would be the end of her, Orihime thought wryly, clasping her hands together. Even Ulquiorra had a hard time with the beast. She looked back at the panther, considering all possible moves.

Orihime held her breath as she entered the room.

"O-Orihime!" Lily gasped.

"Please, let's not act rashly," Shun'o advised.

"I mustn't hesitate anymore, not when the key to my memories is this close. I have to be brave," Orihime said. The panther saw her coming and growled ferociously. The wounds from their last encounter have not completely healed, yet the panther was still terrifying. However, she could feel sadness and anger in its blue eyes. She could sense that Aizen had always treated this creature unjustly and she pitied it. "I can heal you."

The panther growled, lashing its tail along the floor.

Orihime slowly walked toward it. "Let me help you." She stopped, merely a few inches away from it. "Souten Kisshun," she called out, and a half-oval barrier enveloped the creature.

While it was preoccupied with its healing wounds, Orihime carefully past it to the end of the room, where she found a stone white chest with the mark of the hibiscus flower in the center. She tried opening the chest, but it wouldn't budge. "What should I do now?" she muttered under her breath.

She wasn't given the time to think as the panther suddenly breached the barrier and lashed out its deadly claws at her. Blood gushed out, three deep cuts were received, but it didn't end there. Pressing its paw into her back, the panther bit her shoulder and more blood came. After that, it lifted her with its mouth and threw her into the wall. She fell to the ground hard, and her injuries robbed her of the strength she needed to move or fight back. Her vision was starting to blur as she sensed the panther approaching.

She thought she could trap the panther like she did with Toushirou. She was foolish to let her guard down at such a moment, she thought wryly.

Was this end for her? She shut her eyes tight, shaking her head. "No...I'm not giving up..." But her senses were failing. If only she were stronger...if only...

With a mighty roar, the panther dove its head to take another bite until...

"Don't do it, GRIMMJOW!" the loud voice of the young Nel echoed in its ears.

Orihime recognized the voice and grew worried. "No...You mustn't...Nel-chan..." She wanted to stop the little girl, but all strength had left her. In a matter of seconds, everything went black.

* * *

Inside the throne room of Las Noches, the Hollow King sat in the throne, admiring the blade of his Zanpakutou.

"You have returned. How delightful," Gin said upon entering the throne room, the sly smile ever present in his face. "How was your trip, Captain Aizen?"

"The shard was forged, merely a fake to divert me from my path to success for the time being," Aizen explained in a voice calm and cool. "These rebels will stop at nothing to foil my plans. I admire their effort, but they are clearly wasting their time. They cannot prevent the inevitable. All of Soul Society will be mine."

"I'm sure you will succeed," cooed the silver-haired man.

Aizen's eyes narrowed suspiciously. He felt fluctuations of spiritual pressures occurring in some parts of his fortress. "Gin, is there something you should tell me?"

"We have an interesting guest," replied Gin, "accompanied by a talking cat."

"I see. One of them is a hybrid as far as I can tell. You've found some interesting toys. But these guests of yours seemed to have taken down Nnoitora."

"Sure did. I'll play with them until they're nothing but broken toys."

Aizen stood from his throne and sheathed his sword. "I see...Do whatever you please," he said, "And do return Urahara Kisuke back in his cell. It will be quite troublesome to let that man roam freely for too long."

* * *

Orihime was just waking up to find the menacing panther looming over her. It came as a surprise to her that the panther had not eaten her in her sleep. She must have slept for an hour. Moreover, she should be suffering from the pain of her injuries, but strangely she felt fine. She looked at herself. There were no bruises, no cuts, not even the slightest gash or tear in her uniform. She was healed, good as new. It must have been the work of Shun'o and Ayame. Looking back at the panther, she froze as it lowered its head to rub its cheek against hers like an ordinary household cat would do.

Why was the panther suddenly so nice to her? It was on a killing spree not too long ago.

She found her answer shortly as Nel jumped on her to give a nice, warm hug.

"Nel's so happy that Hime-chan's all right!" she cried. "Good thing Nel came or else you would have died! Nel's friends with Grimmjow and he will never do anything to hurt me."

Now that was another shocking revelation. "You're friends with this creature?" She had no right to judge, but she can't help but wonder how the two got along.

Nel jumped onto the panther and patted its head. "Grimmjow has always been nice to Nel. We always play together."

Orihime sighed, realizing that she could not hold a grudge against the creature, and she had to admit that she felt quite a bit calmer in its presence because of Nel.

"You've come here to take whatever is inside that chest, right?" Nel said, pointing at the chest. "Nel's been told that, apart from Aizen-sama, only the Princess of the Hibiscus Shield can touch the object inside."

"How do I open it?"

"Hmm...Nel's not sure why she knows this but you can open it by using Souten Kisshun."

Her dilemma was no different from Nel, Orihime thought. They have memories buried deep inside their minds, memories that were important, so she understood how difficult it must be for a child to remember things that she herself wasn't quite sure of. After getting back her memories, Orihime swore to herself that she will take Nel with her to the Divine Queen's palace.

Orihime approached the chest and knelt down. "Here goes..." she murmured, taking a deep breath. "Shun'o, Ayame, Souten Kisshun." The technique worked like magic on the chest, and when the chest turned to ashes, the room's barrier was broken and she found a glowing sphere floating in midair and inside the sphere was a male fairy-like creature. He was generally black in color with red streaks, had black spiky hair and a white bandana covering the bottom-half of his face. She knew instantly that he was part of the Shun Shun Rikka, that he was the missing petals from her hairpins. "Tsu...Tsubaki..."

All fairies materialized around their unconscious friend.

"It really is Tsubaki," Hinagiku said.

"It's been so long," Baigon added.

Orihime lifted a hand to the glowing sphere, and as she touched it, the sphere glowed even brighter, blinding everyone in the room for a split second. And before she knew it, the hairpins were in her hand, with all six petals in each one. Her Shun Shun Rikka was complete. However, her memories have yet to return. All she could remember was Tsubaki's name and his kotodama. Aside from that, nothing. Wasn't he supposed to be the key to her memories?

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a loud explosion, and she instantly felt the spiritual pressures of Urahara and Yorouichi.

Grimmjow shuffled aside to let her leave the room, and Orihime found herself smiling at him as she went by. "Nel-chan, escape from this place with Grimmjow," she said, putting on her hairpins. "The barrier that was set up in this room had been rejected along with the chest. There's nothing stopping Grimmjow from leaving the room now."

Nel was reluctant to leave Orihime alone. "Will you be all right, Hime-chan?"

"I'll be fine, Nel-chan," said Orihime with a reassuring smile. "I'll see you later, okay?"

She ran out of the room and down the stairs, oblivious to the danger following her closely.

* * *

In an arena, Urahara was fighting off a group of Calaveras. The arena was straightforward with a large central room lined with destructible columns dominated by a ramp leading from doors of the arena to a huge white statue of a Hollow. A skeleton in appearance, the Hollow had armbands and it was draped in a cloak, with a tattered fur collar around his neck area and the fringes of the cloak, and it also wore an elegant pendant and a crown.

"Urahara-san!" said a voice from the door.

Urahara killed three Calaveras in a flash before looking up. Standing in the doorway was Orihime, proudly pointing at the hairpin on the left side of her head. "A job well done, Orihime-san," he said, sensing two Calaveras coming straight at him. "Scream, Benihime!" He fired crimson-colored energy blasts, thus turning them into dust easily.

"Where is Yorouichi-san?" Orihime asked. A Calavera came toward her from the air and she blocked his assault with Santen Kesshun.

Killing off another Calavera, Urahara jumped back and joined Orihime's side. "She's helping the prisoners escape," he finally answered her.

"Now why are you out of your cell, Urahara-san?" asked a voice. Captain Gin Ichimaru stood in the doorway, smiling his sinister smile. More Calaveras clattered in behind him and headed straight for them. "And why are you with him, Alice-chan?"

"Not another step!" cried Orihime, bringing her hands to the pins. "Tsubaki, Koten—"

"No!" exclaimed Urahara, unleashing Benihime's blade of crimson at the assailants. Orihime blinked at him in surprise. "How should I put this? Tsubaki-san's out of commission at the moment."

"What do you mean?"

Seizing her arm, he wrenched her towards him, held her close, and raised his sword to call forth a Blood Mist Shield. "You have to be a lot sneakier if you wanna surprise me, Captain Ichimaru," he said.

To her surprise, Gin's sword had extended from where he stood. It was her first time to see a blade that long.

"And this is why I find you interesting," Gin said, retracting his blade.

Orihime could see that his Zanpakutou looked like an ordinary wakizashi. The hilt was light blue with a tsuba made of two slim swirls of metal looping around the blade to make an open oval, resembling an 'S'.

Urahara let out a sigh. "This is going to be a bloodbath. Orihime-san, head to the Divine Queen's castle."

"How about you? I'm not leaving here without you, Urahara-san!" Orihime objected.

"Two former captains of the 13 Court Guards are on their way here. If they capture you then all hope is lost. Please go, Orihime-san. I'll stay here and hold them off." He swung his blade forward and cried, "Shred, Benihime!" Red energy bullets were launched from his shield.

Quick and agile, Gin evaded and blocked every bullets. After that, he lunged forward and swung his blade toward Urahara.

"Run away, Orihime!" Urahara called out as he blocked the sword.

"I knew it from the moment I laid eyes on her," Gin said, malice spreading across his face. "A bit sad she had to lie to me."

Orihime swallowed hard. Her suspicions about him were true. "Why didn't you kill me when you had the chance?"

"Where's the fun in that?" Gin asked, exchanging strikes with Urahara. After dodging one attack, he jumped back to widen the distance from Urahara. "Killing off the heroine at such an early stage? Now that's just bad writing."

"Orihime-san, the other captains are almost here. Please, RUN!" exclaimed Urahara.

Orihime was hesitant but she had no choice. She fled out of the other door across the room. She ran down the long hall as fast as she could, not daring to look back. She could sense Urahara's spiritual pressure still going strong. However, two new spiritual pressures joined his, and she could tell that they were clashing swords by now. She kept on running, knowing exactly where each route will lead her. She did gain a bit of her memories from Tsubaki. Even so, she still cannot remember why Las Noches was etched in her mind.

She climbed down a set of stairs and burst into a large room. But before she could reach the doors, Gin Ichimaru appeared right in front of her. She staggered to a stop.

"Alice-chan," the man mocked. "But wait! That's not even your real name, right? Orihime-chan? Did you get your memories back?" He studied the dismayed expression in her face. "So, no gold, huh? Such a sad thing really. I was hoping you could remember me by now."

"You stay away from me!" Orihime demanded, stepping back in fear.

"Anyway...I have to take you to the King. I'm sure he'll be pleased to see you," said the captain. He disappeared before her eyes and reappeared instantly behind her. He wrenched Orihime's arm toward him and reached for the tie in her hair. She looked at him defiantly. The moment he released her hair from its hold, Gin leaned down and whispered into her ear. "Beware of the darkness, Orihime-chan."

She refused to let this man scare her. "Santen Kesshun!" she called out. A triangular barrier appeared in between them and repelled Gin away with a powerful shock.

Even with the smile on his face, Orihime could sense the cold, dark aura oozing out of him. He unsheathed his sword and pointed it at her. "You want to do this the hard way? So be it..."

"Licht Regen!" a voice called out from above.

Gin looked up and saw a volley of arrows raining down on him. The arrows came so fast that Orihime wasn't able to see if Gin got away in time. But the voice was crystal clear. She recognized that voice, much to her surprise. When the arrow assault has stopped a cloud of smoke and dusts engulfed the area. She heard footsteps approaching, and from within the smoke came out a man clad in white. Orihime couldn't believe her eyes.

The man brought a hand to his glasses, pushing them up, as a smile graced his lips. And the moment he looked at her, Orihime couldn't hold back the tears. "I'm glad you're safe, Orihime-san," he said to her in such a warm, soft voice.

Though surprise by his appearance, there was no denying the happiness she felt as she clamped her mouth with both hands. "It's really you!" She lunged forward and embraced him so dearly. "It's really you...Uryuu-kun..."

_To be continued... _

* * *

**JC: **And Ishida-kun appears to save the day! No Ulquiorra here, but you'll get to see him in the next chapter. The Shun Shun Rikka is the Vorpal Sword in the story but only Tsubaki got separated from the pack. Urahara mentioned that he's still out of commission. Now why is that? Okay, the next update will take a while and I apologize in advance for that. My current Yu-Gi-Oh! GX story is taking my time and I can't stop because this is my b-day gift for my friend. I'm also planning on another promotional art for this story. The next chapter will be the big escape. Will they all make it out in one piece? Just wait and see… Please don't forget to review. No flaming!


	8. Encounter with the Ubiquitous Skull!

**JC:** Phew! I finally got this one done. With a busy schedule last week, I thought this would be put on hold again. And my writer-block's sickness just comes and goes at times. Very unpredictable, yes? Well, I am pleased I finished this one, and I've already pictured out scenes for my next chapter. I guess this story won't pass twenty chapters. I've never intended to make this long from the start, but I am enjoying this fairy tale-inspired story. We're gonna have bits of IshiHime moments here. UlquiHime scenes will have to wait and I assure you there'll be plenty in the future.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Bleach. Tite Kubo has that right. Various themes in this story is inspired by fairy tales and Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.

* * *

**Angelice**

Chapter 08: Encounter with the Ubiquitous Skull!

Closing her eyes, she sighed as she melted into Uryuu's arms. "Uryuu-kun, it's such a relief to see you again." And it was such a surprise to see him wearing a uniform that was indistinctly familiar. He wore a form-fitting, high-collared tunic, resembling cassocks of Catholic priests, and a mantle with white shoulder straps. Two golden cords dangled loosely, which was connected from the middle of the mantle to his left shoulder strap. He also wore a belt around his waist with weapons stored behind his back.

He held her tight, running a gentle hand through her hair, and she looked up at him, smiling and crying tears of joy. "Orihime-san..." His hands slid down to her side, and he pulled her up tightly against his body. He knew she could feel how much worried he was. "Don't worry...I'll keep you safe. I promise you that," he murmured close to her ear.

Applause was heard as the smoke cleared up, and a voice followed next. "Such a touching reunion." It was Gin Ichimaru's voice. "Almost brought a tear to my eye." The man stepped forward, resting the blade of his sword on the palm of his left hand.

Orihime shuddered as she clutched onto Uryuu's uniform. This man was impossibly frightening and ruthless.

"Long time, no see, Ishida Uryuu," Gin said.

"Uryuu-kun, you two know each other?" asked Orihime.

"I'll explain everything later, Orihime-san," Uryuu told her, squeezing her shoulder tenderly.

"That is if you get out of here alive," Gin said, holding out his hand. "Now hand over the Princess of Hibiscus Shield."

"Hand her over?" Uryuu looked fierce. "When I'm dead maybe!"

"I wish you'd stop being so difficult," Gin said with a sigh. "It tires me seriously. Hmph?"

Lips curving into a confident smirk, Uryuu gathered Orihime into his arms, carrying her like a bride. "Sorry...But the party ends here, Ichimaru Gin." When he said that, a ferocious roar echoed through the room, and suddenly the panther leaped out with Nel riding on its back. "Catch you later!" He jumped onto the Grimmjow's back as it ran across the room.

"Uryuu-kun!" she called, holding onto him for dear life.

"Follow this path towards the South East wing. Ulquiorra has secured the exit there," Uryuu said.

Acknowledging with a growl, Grimmjow picked up more speed. The guards along the way were all knocked out. True enough, Ulquiorra did his job well. Everyone held on tight as they galloped into the South East wing and towards the exit, which happened to be a giant hole in the wall created by Ulquiorra himself.

Standing by the exit, Orihime saw a familiar face waiting for them. "Ulquiorra-san!" she cried, her heart skipping a beat. But the man responded to her with cold eyes.

* * *

The Hollow King was seated in his throne, sensing the rise and fall of spiritual pressures. His face was calm and his lips were curved in a smile. He stood up as Gin entered the room, and he knew that he was bearing bad news. Despite that, he felt no hesitation and fear from his subordinate.

Gin walked up to him and bowed. "Captain Aizen," he said, "the princess has escaped on Grimmjow with the last piece of the Shun Shun Rikka. Ulquiorra Cifer and the Quincy, Ishida Uryuu, came to her aid before I could capture her. It doesn't end there, I'm afraid. I've just been informed that four prisoners have escaped with the help of a black cat."

The king's cunning smile remained. "How could you let this happen, Gin?" he asked.

A silent sigh escaped from his lips. "I may have underestimated the princess." He then looked up to the king's face and smirked. "But we have two of her conspirators: Urahara Kisuke and Loly Aivirrne."

Under such circumstances, a leader would be furious at such reports, but Aizen was completely unruffled. "I see…Hmmm…The escapees—they could not have gotten far, Gin."

"I'll inform Rudbornn right away," replied Gin, bowing his head.

* * *

Grimmjow was quick. They've managed to escape their pursuers and left the daunting realm of the Hollows. With no one trailing them, they've decided to stop over at a gorgeous lake to replenish their strength. It had been a long and tiresome venture for them. Orihime, most especially, was thirsty for some water, and Uryuu, being the gentleman that he was, went and gather her drink.

She had taken a seat under a tree, facing the beautiful clear lake. It would have been nice to have a picnic. _But given our current predicament… _She watched Uryuu as he approached her. She put on a good smile and thanked him for the water. However, questions about him clouded her mind. She briefly glanced at Ulquiorra, who was sitting on a rock by the lake, and back at Uryuu again. "Um…Uryuu-kun, I wanted to ask—"

"I originally came from this world too, Orihime-san," he interrupted, taking a seat beside her, as he adjusted his glasses.

She gasped. "But how is that—"

"Possible? It's kind of a long story," he said with an apologetic expression. "Orihime-san, please forgive me. I've been keeping this a secret from you for a long time."

Her gaze softened. "Uryuu-kun…" She turned her sights on the lake and sighed. "I think I can understand why you kept this from me. After all, this is a little too unbelievable."

"Orihime-san…"

"Hmm…So," she said, turning to him again, "you must be a Quincy. Right?"

Uryuu nodded. "I see you've been well-informed."

"Yes…By Urahara-san and Yorouichi-san," she replied, a frown greasing her lips as she remembered that Urahara was left behind at Las Noches. "Uryuu-kun, there is still so much that I don't understand about this world. I've already retrieved the last piece of my Shun Shun Rikka, but I still don't remember."

Lifting a gentle hand to her shoulder, Uryuu told her that she needed not to force herself to remember. He assured her that her memories would return and she just needed to be patient. But Orihime couldn't help but be anxious of her memories. And there was still the problem with the heart. Whenever she was with Ulquiorra, her heart would react strangely, and she knew from deep within that Ulquiorra was a special person to her. It was frustrating, really, that she was the only one who cannot remember.

Orihime hugged her legs closely and leaned her head on Uryuu's shoulder. "Ulquiorra said that my memories in the Real World are no hoax. I don't understand what he meant by it." She closed her eyes for an instant. "It's really confusing."

"You'll come to understand the meaning behind his words soon," Uryuu said, trying to hide the blush on his face. She was very, very close indeed, which made his heart race wildly. "And even if I were to tell you about your life here, it would only serve to confuse you more."

Once again she sighed. "I guess you're right…" Pulling back, she stretched out her arms high. "Anyway, you look good in that outfit, Uryuu-kun! I'm sure you're the one who designed it." She graced him with a smile.

Uryuu flushed red a little and almost choked on his words when he said, "I, uh, I did design it…with great pride, of course."

"The Quincy likes to dress in White while the Soul Reapers go with Black. Very contrasting indeed."

"We are very proud of this color."

She giggled. "I see."

Just then, Ulquiorra appeared before them. "On your feet," he said, his eyes cold and distant as ever, as he unsheathed his sword. "We have company."

Orihime noted the serious expression that smeared Uryuu's face as he rose. "The enemy has caught up with us?" she asked, and Uryuu nodded. She got up and tugged on Uryuu's mantle. "You're going to fight again."

"I will fight to end if it means protecting you, Orihime-san," Uryuu said.

"Still living up to your promise I see," Ulquiorra stated, earning a glare from the Quincy. "It seems that old feelings are hard to get rid off."

Uryuu smirked. "Right back at you, Ulquiorra."

"We have to get out of here!" Nel uttered. Her tattered green clothe was hooked on Grimmjow's fangs. "Hey, this is no way to treat a lady!" The panther brought her to Orihime and nuzzled its face against Nel's cheek. "Anyway, they are heading this way!"

"The Calaveras are coming," Uryuu said, materializing his spiritual bow and arrow. "Grimmjow, take Orihime-san and Nel-san quick!"

"But Uryuu-kun!" Orihime refused to leave Uryuu and Ulquiorra. She wanted to help too.

"I'm sure you understand our situation, woman," Ulquiorra said, not sparring a glance at her. "We are here to protect the last hope of this world. It is our mission, our duty."

The hordes of Calaveras have began appearing, one by one. Their spiritual pressures were oozing with a murderous intent. Orihime felt shivers running up and down her spine. "Charging into the middle of those Hollows, are you two—"

"There's no other way, Orihime-san," Uryuu said, keeping his gaze firm on the enemies.

"And you cannot hope to aid us in this battle. The last piece of your weapon has not yet been awakened. You will only be a burden here."

Orihime lowered her head. "Yes…I'm aware of that. But you guys will get hurt. I can heal you."

The Calaveras kept appearing and appearing. There was no end to their numbers. "We cannot allow you to stay here," Uryuu said. "Their numbers are far too great."

"You don't have to worry about them!" Nel said, tugging on Orihime's skirt. "They can handle themselves. They're strong! Believe in them!"

Certainly she did not doubt their strength. However, she could not convince herself that everything will be all right after this. "Okay…I'll go." She hopped onto Grimmjow and helped Nel up." But please promise me…Promise me that we'll see each other again, okay?"

Uryuu's lips curved into a smile. "Have I ever broken a promise before?" he asked.

"I have no intention of dying here, woman," Ulquiorra said.

Orihime took a deep breath and said, "Then I'll see you later!" With that, they hurried off.

Keeping a steady grip on his bow and arrow, Uryuu glanced at Ulquiorra. "What will you do once she regains her memories?" he questioned.

The melancholic man stepped forward, thrusting his blade forward. "That doesn't concern me at the moment."

"Didn't you once have a dream?"

"What nonsense is this, Quincy?"

"We both know the pain of losing something dear. But she's in within our grasp now. We cannot let it end here."

"You're rather talkative today, Quincy." Ulquiorra then rushed off into battle.

"That guy's like a bad dream," Uryuu said with a sigh, as three Calaveras charged toward him head on. "Dodge this!" He shot a shower of arrows at them, eliminating them without breaking a sweat.

* * *

"I wonder if they're all right," Orihime muttered under her breath, as they sped through the forest in lightning fast speed. She was holding onto Grimmjow tightly, with Nel clinging in front of her. "I know they're both strong, but I'm still worried."

All of a sudden, both Grimmjow and Orihime felt a dense wave of spiritual pressure flying towards them. Grimmjow immediately pinpointed the direction, as he stopped in his tracks, and the moment he saw the flash of Cero coming right at them, he dodged it with ease. Unfortunately, his rapid movement caused Orihime to lose her grip. She was sent flying toward some bushes nearby.

"Ah! Hime-chan, are you all right?" Nel asked, jumping off Grimmjow's back.

Emerging from the bushes, Orihime brought both hands to her hairpins. "Santen Kesshun, I reject!" she uttered, sending three of her fairies to form a shield in front of Grimmjow and Nel and to protect them from the incoming Cero.

"You can sense spiritual pressures this fast already? Impressive, princess," a deep, horrendous voice spoke.

"Who's there?" Orihime exclaimed, as Grimmjow growled.

An Arrancar stepped out from the trees. His face was hidden behind a bull-shaped skull, and he wore a uniform similar to the Calaveras.

Orihime's eyes widened. "You are…"

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am—"

"Rudbornn Chelute," Orihime continued, balling both hands into fists. She knew his name but didn't know why. She couldn't understand why she felt rage toward this particular Arrancar. The answer may be hidden deep within her memories. "You lead the Exequias, the execution division of Hueco Mundo."

"My, I am truly honoured that you remembered me, Princess," Rudbornn said, slightly bowing before her in a mannerly way.

"I only remember your name and your job…The rest are still blurry to me."

"Such a shame… We were very, very close before, Princess."

Orihime swallowed. "I doubt it."

Rudbornn straightened, bringing his right hand to the handle of his sword. "Now then, my lady, I want you to come with me quietly," he said.

A loud roar and scream quickly alerted Orihime as a group of Calaveras surrounded Grimmjow and Nel. Orihime was about to send in her three fairies when Rudbornn started his assault on her. She was able to block his sword strike with her shield and pushed him away. Glancing back at Grimmjow and Nel, she saw that the panther was doing a good job fending off the enemies. He was fiercely protective of the little girl. Back to Rudbornn, Orihime summoned Hinagiku, Baigon and Lily to standby. Rudbornn performed a speed technique and appeared behind Orihime in a blink of an eye. With a gasp, Orihime blocked another strike and jumped back to increase the gap between them.

"You cannot win relying on defence alone," Rudbornn stated.

Orihime shrugged. Rudbornn spoke the truth, though it pained her to admit it. Her shield was solid strong, her healing was impressive, but she could do no offense. The last piece of her Shun Shun Rikka, the one called Tsubaki, was still in his dormant state. She had no idea how to wake him up.

"If possible, I'd like to take you back unharmed, but it seems like I have to resort to drastic measures," Rudbornn explained, readying his blade.

"GRIMMJOW!" A scream of desperation from Nel.

Orihime's heart almost stopped when she saw how badly injured Grimmjow was, and Nel was at his side, crying. Many of the Calaveras were defeated, only a few remained, but Grimmjow was out of breath. He was bleeding profusely.

"Those two deserve to die," Rudbornn said, pointing his blade at them and charging up for a Cero.

"N-NO!" Orihime uttered. Just then, two Calaveras appeared behind her and pinned her to the ground. "UGH!"

"This is the end for them." Rudbornn fired his Cero, and Orihime screamed out her friends' names in utter chaos.

_To be continued… _

* * *

**JC:** A Cero's coming for Nel and Grimmjow! Will Orihime be able to save them in time? In the next chapter, the Divine Queen makes her appearance again. Fragments of Orihime's memories will return and some UlquiHime moment to reel in the romantic mood for this story. That's all I can say. I don't want to be a SPOILER! I'm still planning for my next Promotional Art. Hmm…Maybe I should try doing Nel and Grimmjow next. Um…Don't forget to review! NO FLAMING!


	9. Bits and Pieces with Doble Surprise!

**JC:** I don't know what the hell is up with me, but writer's block is not a pretty thing to experience. And being down with a fever isn't making things better for me. I'm super late with this update, I know, and I sincerely apologize that. However, I will never ever abandon this story. I may not update on a regular basis, but I will not stop writing this until the end. After all, I still care for this story and for my readers.

Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to the amazing Tite Kubo. Some scenes here are inspired by various fairy tales, especially Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.

* * *

**Angelice**

Chapter 09: Bits and Pieces with Doble Surprise!

"GRIMMJOW!" A scream of desperation from Nel.

Orihime's heart almost stopped when she saw how badly injured Grimmjow was, and Nel was at his side, crying. Many of the Calaveras were defeated, only a few remained, but Grimmjow was out of breath. He was bleeding profusely.

"Those two deserve to die," Rudbornn said, pointing his blade at them and charging up for a Cero.

"N-NO!" Orihime uttered. Just then, two Calaveras appeared behind her and pinned her to the ground. "UGH!"

"This is the end for them." Rudbornn fired his Cero, and Orihime screamed out her friends' names in utter chaos.

The immense power of the Cero collided, engulfing both Nel and Grimmjow in a flash. Orihime could do nothing but watch in despair. "No…Grimmjow…Nel-chan…" She tore her eyes away, shutting them tight, as tears escaped. "No…this can't be true!" she exclaimed, shaking her head vigorously.

"What's this?" Rudbornn gasped.

She snapped her head back, and in the next second her eyes widened like saucers. "N-Nel-chan…?" It was almost too unreal. The little girl and Grimmjow were still alive and much to her surprise, Nel was up there, shielding the injured panther with her body. Looking carefully, taking into the account her state, it was clear that Nel was absorbing the Cero into her mouth. The eyes on her skull mask were glowing red.

"Oh, no!" Rudbornn seemed frightened at this point. "Stop the abomination!" he ordered the Calaveras holding Orihime.

The two skull-heads charged towards Nel, unsheathing their swords instantly for one swift slice.

"Nel-chan!" Orihime cried, noting of the pain the little girl was experiencing. Nel looked like she was about to puke or something. "Santen Kesshun!" She materialized a shield in front of Nel just in time to repel the Calaveras back. At that moment, a flashback occurred to her, a scene on the battlefield with a woman with long green hair and a skull on her head.

Rudborrn raised his sword at Orihime. "You meddlesome little—" As he swung his sword, a barrier blocked his attack. "What?"

"Souten Kisshun," Orihime muttered as she stood up to face him. "Imprisonment…"

"You think this will hold me?"

With the Cero in her mouth, Nel flinched and wailed, her hands clamping tight and her eyes shut tight. She could no longer hold it in anymore.

"Then can you handle your own power thrown back at you with more force?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. As Rudbornn was about to strike her shield again, she jumped back and signaled to Nel. "Release it, Nel-chan!"

As if she had been holding her breath for a long time, Nel released the Cero, sending it back to Rudbornn. With seamless precision, Orihime dispersed the shield around the Arrancar to let him taste his own Cero. After that excruciating ordeal, Nel looked wasted, exhausted, and it didn't take long until she fell to the ground.

"Nel-chan!" Orihime ran to her side and gathered her in her arms. She checked her pulse and for any sign of injuries. "Thank goodness, you're okay… But Grimmjow…" The panther was in a very critical condition. "Shun'o, Ayame, please take care of Grimmjow," she ordered.

The two fairies quickly materialized and formed a barrier around Grimmjow.

On the other hand, Rudbornn, who was seriously injured from the attack, struggled to get back on his feet, using his sword as support. "You insolent imp! I will crush you!" he threatened. But before he could take one step, two blades suddenly pierced through his chest. One blade was glowing in the richness of blue, while the other one was a lethal silver blade. "What the…" Limping, he peered over his shoulder and found his executioners.

"Uryuu-kun! Ulquiorra!" Orihime called out, feeling so much relief.

They withdrew their blades from his chest. Blood immediately oozed out of Rudbornn's wound, creating a pool beneath his feet. Staggering, he fell onto his knees, clutching his chest in pain. "So you came to deliver revenge, Quincy…" he said hoarsely. "Hmph…To be driven by revenge, to have your hands tainted with my blood…a walking contradiction. You should have killed me in the past. You had your chance."

Orihime stared at Uryuu uncomprehendingly. His once calm blue eyes were filled with anger. Just what did Rudbornn do to him in the past?

The Quincy fisted his hands as he gracefully swung his sword at Rudborrn, slashing his back. "Don't get me wrong," he said, as Rudbornn started to disintegrate. "I made a promise to her to never let revenge blind me."

"What a hollow promise...Your hands are tainted with my blood, are they not?"

"You think I wasn't aware? Sending a sorry excuse for a puppet…You're a coward." Withdrawing his sword, Uryuu walked past him and stopped until he was in front of Orihime. He briefly graced the Princess with a smile before he looked over his shoulder to watch the enemy disappear. "A pathetic dog."

As Rudbornn faded away, Orihime's eyes darted to Ulquiorra in time to see him sheathing his sword. He seemed to be unharmed, but he looked worn out. She could say the same thing about Uryuu too. It must have been a tough battle. "Uryuu-kun, Ulquiorra, are you all right?"

"We're completely fine, Orihime-san," Uryuu assured her, kneeling down to her level.

"Do you honestly think those Calaveras were a match for us?" Ulquiorra questioned, his voice cold as the winter season as usual.

She managed a small smile on her face. "No…But I still got worried…"

"Grimmjow's injuries are healing fast. How's the girl?" Uryuu asked.

"She's okay, just unconscious. She performed a Cero Doble a while ago, although using it seems to exhaust her."

Uryuu raised a brow. "Orihime-san, you remember Cero Doble?"

"I find that surprising myself," she replied. The woman with green hair was the newest piece to the puzzle. She had fought together with the woman before.

"We cannot waste anymore time here," Ulquiorra stated, shoving his hands into the pockets of his hakama. "The Divine Queen is waiting."

"We're aware of that, Ulquiorra," the Quincy said, adjusting his glasses.

"Um…Uryuu-kun…about…" She bit her lower lip, reluctant to ask him about Rudbornn. Surely it would bring up painful memories for Uryuu. If only she could remember more… "Um…Nevermind."

As if he knew what she was thinking, Uryuu said, "Rudbornn Chelute, leader of the Exequias, is the one responsible for the near extinction of my people."

A tremor ran through her. "I-I'm sorry…" she muttered.

"He attacked us with inexhaustible force. At that time, we knew nothing of his weakness. It seemed so hopeless."

"But it didn't stop Ryuuken Ishida," Ulquiorra added, and Orihime's eyes widened.

Uryuu nodded. "Father fought desperately to defeat Rudbornn, despite of the numbers, and when he was on the brink of defeat, my mother…" He palmed his face to hide the sadness from her. "My mother used every ounce of her power to seal Rudbornn's true form and father delivered the finishing blow. I wasn't so sure how he survived, but…thanks to my mother, Rudbornn had been severely weakened. And for a while, I thought everything was going to be all right, but in the end, my mother died. The technique she used was a double-edged sword."

"The Rudbornn we defeated was nothing more than a clone," Ulquiorra explained. "The real one is hidden deep within Las Noches," Ulquiorra explained. "We'll be seeing him again soon."

Orihime tried to digest the facts she had just learned. Uryuu—her friend, her protector—had such a tragic past with Rudbornn. She also found it surprising that Rudbornn was still alive and safely tucked away.

* * *

The Divine Queen's castle was nothing like Las Noches. It felt like she gone back time to ancient Japan during the feudal area. The castle's structure was roughly similar to the Himeji Castle. Aside from the beautiful castle tower, the royal courtyard was thriving with delicate Cherry Blossoms and other variety of spring flowers. The queen's castle was the pillar, the heart of the Court of Pure Souls.

A tidal wave of relief flowed through her body as she entered the throne room and saw the queen sitting on her throne. Beauty at its finest, with eyes like sapphire jewels, and glossy black hair, the queen was like goddess, and the pure white kimono seemed to just enhance her splendour even more. Orihime couldn't help but be awed. And the throne was magnificent, bearing resemblance to the Chrysanthemum Throne in the Imperial Palace of Japan, only it was painted white.

"Welcome to the Court of Pure Souls," said the Divine Queen, smiling down at Orihime and her two escorts, Uryuu and Ulquiorra. The other two, Grimmjow and Nel, were sent to the infirmary for further recuperating.

The three of them bowed down to honor the queen.

"I have come as you've requested," Orihime said.

"Raise your heads," the queen said, and the three promptly did. "It has been a long and difficult journey, was it not? And I see that the Shun Shun Rikka is complete. But it seems like you have not yet recovered your memories."

Orihime dropped her eyes and didn't respond.

"The Hollow King was the former captain of the 5th Division. He was renowned for his leadership skills and intelligence. He was truly a remarkable man. Tell me, how does he seem to you?"

"Fearsome," Orihime answered honestly. "I can't believe he used to be a captain. What happened to him?"

"Power and strife corrupted his mind and soul. He wishes nothing but to instil discord upon this world," the Queen explained. "But when the Princess of the Hibiscus Shield steps forth to battle him, then the world will achieve peace and stability."

"Am I really capable of defeating such a man?"

"You are more than capable, Orihime-san," the Queen assured her, sweeping her long, white kimono behind her. "Now come with me. There is someone here who would like to speak with you."

The Divine Queen escorted Orihime out of the castle to the garden. The place was truly a remarkable sight to behold and she felt safe there. However, Orihime felt guilty and worried, desperately hoping for Urahara's safety. What did he think of her escaping and leaving him behind to suffer a terrible punishment the Hollow King would throw at him?

As the Divine Queen returned to the castle, Orihime saw a silver-haired boy standing underneath the Sakura tree. "Toushirou-kun?" she asked, walking up to him.

The young boy raised his head and looked at her. "Princess?"

Orihime graced him with a smile. "I'm glad you're all right."

His turquoise eyes took note of the complete petals on her hairpins and sighed. "So you're recovered the last piece of the Shun Shun Rikka. I'm sure you went through hell just to get it. After all, Las Noches is a dreadful place."

"Yorouichi-san found your friends, you know, and she helped them escape from that place."

The boy nearly smiled. "Only because you made it possible."

"Orihime-san, Captain Hitsugaya," a familiar voice called them.

Peering over her shoulder, Orihime saw Uryuu approaching them, looking quite excited somehow. "What is it, Uryuu-kun?" she asked.

"You have to come with me quick," Uryuu told them, taking hold of Orihime's hand. "This way…" He led Orihime and the captain to the main entrance of the Divine Queen's castle where the Queen herself was watching the view from afar.

"We have company," the Queen said, gracefully pointing towards a certain direction.

Orihime and Toushirou followed her direction. Their hearts leaped inside their chest as they saw a black cat and two other Soul Reapers. One of them had long, wavy strawberry blonde hair, blue eyes, and full lips. She wore her garb quite loosely for her ample bosom to be revealed, and also a thin golden necklace tucked between her cleavage, along with a pink scarf over her shoulders. She carried her weapon behind her back. The other Soul Reaper wore her uniform more neatly and properly, and she had a pair of big, brown eyes. Her black hair has been pulled into a bun held in a tied cloth.

"I'm more grateful to you now…" Toushirou muttered under his breath.

Placing a gentle hand on the captain's shoulder, she said, "Yorouichi-san deserves your thanks as well. Now go…"

The strawberry blonde beauty, overwhelmed with joy, raced down the path, and the smaller girl followed her. Toushirou treaded in calm yet hurried steps towards them. The beauty ran up to him and took her in her arms, involuntarily burying his face in her large breast. The smaller girl pressed her hands together with delight as tears escaped from her eyes. They were all happy to see each other again.

"Captain, I thought I'd never see you again!" the blonde cried, pressing him closer and tighter. "I've missed you so much." She was Toushirou's lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto.

"Shirou-chan," the girl affectionately called the boy by his nickname. "I'm so happy…" Momo Hinamori was the current Lieutenant of the 5th Division and a childhood friend of Toushirou.

The cuddling and the tears were all good, but Toushirou felt like his bones were cracking. And he was suffocating! Pushing himself away with an angry shrug, he exclaimed, "Are you planning to kill me, Matsumoto?" He then turned to the other girl. "And enough with the waterworks, Hinamori."

"Captain Hitsugaya's still the same grouch," Matsumoto whined, crossing her arms. "Can't you see we're both so happy to see you?"

"Yes, I can see that…But I'm not happy with you suffocating me like that," he grumbled, looking very annoyed.

Hinamori clutched his hands as if she might never let go. Tears still streaming down from her eyes, she brought their hands against her lips. "Shirou-chan…You were forced to do Captain Aizen's bidding because of us, weren't you?" she asked as her hands trembled.

Toushirou grimaced and looked away.

"I'm so sorry…" Hinamori muttered, squeezing his hands, as she lowered her gaze to the ground. "You had to go through so much pain because of—"

"No, it's not your fault," Toushirou cut her off, pulling his hands free from her grasps. "It's my fault…" He turned his back at her, balling his hands into fists. "If only I was stronger, then…"

Matsumoto let out one loud, exasperated sigh. "Let's not take the guilt a little too far, okay?" she said, patting Hinamori's and Toushirou's head. "We're all here now, safe and sound. Everything's fine."

Wiping away the tears with her kimono sleeve, Hinamori knitted a smile on her face. "Rangiku-san is right!"

The young captain held his head low, still feeling ashamed of his own weakness. It was true, that he should be happy that they were both fine and unharmed, but the fact that he wasn't able to save them was putting weight on his heart.

"How's the Shun Shun Rikka, Orihime?" Yorouichi asked, as Orihime knelt down. She took a good look at the pins and smiled. "They are finally complete."

Orihime grimaced. "But my memories…"

"It'll come to you soon," the cat purred.

"Umm…Yorouichi-san, about Urahara-san…"

The black cat thought about it for a moment. "He'll be fine. Just have faith in him, Orihime."

A warm, familiar hand came to lightly touch her shoulder. As Orihime glanced at the owner of the hand, she was graced with a handsome, reassuring smile. "Uryuu-kun?"

"You have no idea what Urahara-san is capable of," he said.

Orihime touched his hand and returned the smile. "All right…I'll believe in him…"

* * *

Night had fallen once more, and the runaways from the Hollow King's fortress were safely tucked away in various rooms of the Divine Queen's castle. Up on the roof, beneath the stars, Orihime sat with Uryuu, their legs swinging over a long drop below. It was a lovely evening filled with stars, and Orihime wondered if she used to gaze at the night sky so peacefully when she used to live in Soul Society. She remembered bits and pieces of her past, but none had ever given her much clarity. She wished she could just remember already, especially about Ulquiorra. He was the most mysterious to her, yet her heart yearned for him.

_"Woman," Uluiorra whispered into her ear, which gave her a strange sensation. "Come with me. I have grown tired of waiting for you." He moved his hand from her lips, smoothing it down her neck as he removed the scarf. He nestled his chin against the crook of her neck and inhaled her sweet scent. His steamy breath and his tempting lips against her neck were enough to make her feel hot. This was so strange. She felt like she was being drugged. How could a man she barely knew could have this effect?_

_"What are you trying to do?" she said almost in a whisper. The fear she felt before had been replaced by longing. Nostalgia filled her senses as her heart raced. "Just what are you—"_

_Not another word, he turned her around and kissed her hard on the lips. At first she was too shocked to respond, but after sensing the urgency of his kiss and the deep, compelling feeling in her heart, she responded, her hands clasping the back of his neck. She wasn't supposed to do this. He was a classmate, not even a friend. Yet, as he lifted her against his body, grabbing the back of her knees and wrapping her legs around his, and pressing her against the pole, her body seemed to crave more and more for his touches and kisses. It was as if her body and soul was familiar with him._

_Her mind contradicted the passion in her heart, but the kisses were driving her crazy that she couldn't find it in herself to tell him to stop. He began rubbing his body against her, nuzzling her neck once more, making her moan in pleasure. She lifted his face from her neck and stared deeply into his eyes. With a shaky voice, she said his name, "Ulquiorra..."_

_"I'll say it once more..." he whispered, crushing his lips against hers, desperate for her taste. "Come with me, woman..." And after that, everything went black in her world._

Her cheeks reddened at the recollection. It was the time before she ended up in that strange room. The kiss was overwhelming, addicting. It was supposed to be her first kiss, but she felt like she had kissed him before.

"We used to climb up here when we were little," Uryuu said, snapping her back from her thoughts. "My father caught us up here once and I got the scolding of a lifetime."

"Ryuuken-san, right?" she asked, bringing her legs against her chest.

"Yes, he's from this world too."

She pretty much would like to ask straightforward questions. However, she knew Uryuu would not be able to give her a clear answer. Sora Inoue, who became her brother in the other world, was a good man, despite growing up with abusive parents. He ran away from home at the age of 18, taking her along, and he raised her like his own daughter. He had taught her a lot of things. He meant the world to her. Would it have made any difference if her brother was still alive? Was Sora Inoue even her real brother in the first place? "When my brother died…you gave me a place to belong...Knowing my true identity, you invited me to your family." At first, she had no idea why Uryuu's father adopted her as his own daughter, but now she knew.

"It wasn't duty alone that led me to decisions like that. I've made a vow, to no one but you," Uryuu replied as he placed a hand on her shoulder, "to take care of you, to protect you and shield you from harm…to take your side even if you're wrong…"

It was, she thought, an unbreakable vow. She could recall it vaguely in her mind. She felt swept away on a wave of frothy nostalgia.

_"I'll get stronger. I will do my best to become a full-fledged Quincy so I can protect you." _A youth with eyes so blue behind glasses had knelt down before her. His right fist was against his heart. He wore a garb of pure white.

_"Uryuu-kun…" _She could see his face, his eyes, and his form. It was indeed Uryuu Ishida.

_"I solemnly swear to you that I will protect you and to be at your side always." _

A smile rose to her lips. "Uryuu-kun…" She leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed happily. "The promise…You haven't forgotten."

His cheeks pinked at the contact, but he was more surprised by what she said. "You remembered?"

She giggled. "A bit…You were so cute as a child."

And Uryuu felt like his face had lighted up like a red Christmas bulb. "Uhmm…I…But you were much cuter, Orihime-san," he said, nervously fidgeting his glasses.

"So, you're saying that I'm not cute anymore?" she asked, puffing her cheeks, as she looked up at him.

The Quincy shook his head. "No! I mean—Well, you're more than cute now! You're really beautiful and I—" He was failing in words. "Orihime-san, I…" He palmed his face, desperately trying to hide the redness.

Orihime leaned close and gave him a sweet, chaste kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Uryuu-kun, for everything," she whispered into his ear.

Orihime has kissed him. It didn't matter if it was only on the cheek, it still seemed too good to be true, and it made him feel all giddy inside. It had been sweet. There had been a restrained desire to hold her in his arms and claim her lips, but he knew better than to take advantage. He treasured her. She had always been special to him. When Orihime became a part of the Ishida Family, he would wake up every morning feeling excited, hopeful, and happy. They were good friends long before they left from Soul Society and they've bonded even more in the Real World.

* * *

Wrapped in a white silk robe, her body cool from the bath, Orihime stepped back into her room. The clothes the maid prepared for tomorrow were resting neatly on the table, and she paused, suddenly recalling such garbs in the past. Kimonos of fine quality, beautiful patterns of flowers, and white symbolizing purity— these things have been branded on her. And she recalled the one and only person with the talent to make such clothing, which brought a smile on her face.

The room she was given, as she'd been told, was her original room. It was awfully large for one person. Her closet had been stuffed with a variety of kimonos and sashes—mostly things you'd see noblewomen wearing in the old Japan. She dressed in a white Japanese nemaki and tied her hair in a loose ponytail, with bits of hair framing her face. She was all set for bed, but she didn't feel sleepy at all.

Rather than looking forward to the evening's end, she headed for the garden, which was grand and majestic, similar to the ones she saw at the Imperial Palace of Japan. Another wave of nostalgia filled her. She hadn't seen this place in years. _I used to play here a lot…I guess…_

She worried about a lot of things and she doubted that she could get a good night sleep because of that. Though she had been reassured about Urahara, she still can't help feeling worried. There was Ulquiorra to think about too, the walking case of enigma that plagued her heart and mind.

"I would advise you to return to your room, woman," an icy cold voice broke into her thoughts.

Gasping, she spun around on her heel. She hadn't talk to him in a while, but now he'd appeared and was striding through the path toward her, as cool and composed as can be. There was a momentary silence when he was face to face with her. "Ulquiorra…"

"Not in the mood for sleep?"

Orihime lowered her eyes to avoid his luscious green pearls. She was guilty for ditching him. He absolutely did not want her to go to Las Noches, yet she rebelled against his orders. She knew he was angry at her for doing such a thing. After all, they've risked their lives just to escape from Aizen. "I'm sorry, Ulquiorra…" were the only words she could muster up to say.

"You are quite a handful, woman." There was nothing but indifference in his tone.

"I just wanted to—"

"It doesn't matter anymore," he said dryly.

Grasping the fabric of her kimono, she heaved a quiet sigh. "Ulquiorra, there are a lot of things I wanted to talk to you about. But now that you're here with me, I don't know where to start."

"I'm afraid I cannot entertain your questions, woman."

"Thought so…"

"You must rest now."

She lifted her head to look at him. "Ulquiorra, have we...I mean, were we friends before?"

His expression was like the one she had kept seeing him wearing as he looked at her. It was distant and yet she could see a hurt in it, and a desire, and it made her uncomfortable.

"We obviously know each other, right? And there were moments when you've been so intimate with me…" She slightly blushed.

He came closer until all she could see were his stunning pair of green eyes. She suddenly felt her feet deeply rooted to the ground. "I am someone who doesn't deserve to be at your side," he said intently, his intense eyes piercing deep into her own.

"Why would you say that?"

He kept her eyes entranced with hers a little while longer before titling his jaw. "There is no redemption for me. There is only despair. I am a cursed warrior shrouded in darkness. You are far too bright for me."

Pain, guilt, remorse, solitude, and desolation—she could see all those things in him. He was helplessly lying in the darkness, struggling to attain the light he can never have. He was pushing her away because he did not want to taint her with the darkness. But she wanted to rid of the darkness in him. She wanted to help him.

He turned on his heel, hands shoved inside his pocket. "I shall escort you back to your quarters," he said. Then he felt her arms lock behind his back. "Woman?" To him it felt as if it had been so long since she'd been this close to him. The warmth she possessed was all too tempting. He could not avoid this and pretend he was not starved for her touch, her gentleness and her kindness. He wanted to be close to her.

"Don't drift away…We've been apart for so long." She had pressed her face against his back. "Even though I don't remember you, my heart tells me how much you mean to me. I would never want to see you go again. If you're shrouded by the darkness, then take my hand. I'll give you my light." Her arms were trembling around his waist.

"Orihime…" He slowly removed her arms from their hold and turned around to gaze into her eyes. "I don't deserve your light."

As delighted as she was when he spoke her name, she remained serene. "You don't get to decide that," she said, lifting a hand to his cheek, watching how he flinched as if her touch burned him. "Ulquiorra..."

Invisible strings suddenly began to knit together the resolve in his heart. He almost felt lighter. "Orihime, I do not wish to repeat the same mistakes again," he said with a silent sigh. "Never again…"

No matter how skilled he was in masking his emotions, Orihime could plainly see the pain in his eyes. There was weakness inside them. "Stop beating yourself up. Isn't it time to forgive yourself and move on?"

"It's not as simple as you think."

"I know it's hard, but you have to try. You won't get anywhere if you keep sulking."

His tight mask almost cracked. "Why is it…why do you always have this effect on me…?"His hand began to take hers as he leaned closer. "You've always been an unprecedented situation for me." Then his lips took hers in a small kiss.

Orihime was taken aback by the bold action. It left her frozen there. However, she did not wish to push him away. She had been kissed by him before and she had openly admitted liking it, never hating it. It all seemed too natural for her. As the kiss grew, his tenderness sending comfort and warmth through her, she felt like she was being drugged. She never realized how much her body craved for this kind of affection from him.

He forgot everything else and ran his fingers through her body. She was so warm, so appealing, so tempting, and he wanted all of her. They've been apart for far too long. Was it wrong to have her, the woman he treasured so much, in his arms at that moment? No, it wasn't, he thought. And Orihime wasn't pushing him away either. Her arms threaded around and behind his neck, and he began to trace kisses down her neck and shoulder.

As she pressed herself against his chest, Ulquiorra sensed the tension in her body and realized that it was wrong. He refused to part with her, to dismiss the desire for her, but the past simply reminded him of how unworthy he was for her. He broke the kiss abruptly, releasing her from his arms. He was doing it again. He was rejecting her.

"Ulquiorra…?" she muttered, her lips swollen from the kiss.

His eyes turned cold and distant. "Return to your room," he said, indifference masking his real emotions.

Her eyes flickered away from his gaze as he began to walk away from her. She brought her hands to her chest, remembering the precious moment she had just shared with him. Her heart was thundering in her ears. "Ulquiorra…" she muttered softly under her breath as he disappeared from her sight. "You were someone I had to say goodbye to a long time ago…weren't you?"

_To be continued…_

* * *

**JC:** Chapter 9 done! Phew! Glad I managed to finish this up. Orihime's starting to remember more and more. Ulquiorra's still pushing her away because he has issues with his own emotions and his past. Toushirou's been reunited with Rangiku and Momo, but it doesn't make him any less guilty. You're gonna find out what happened to Urahara and Loly in the next chapter as we shift the scene back to Hueco Mundo.


	10. Time for Escape! And Memories Abound!

**JC:** Please don't kill me! Yeah, I know this is super delayed. I've been busy with life and damn writer's block got me good. No inspirations whatsoever! And I'm a bit focused on my other fic right now. I did manage to get some ideas last week for this chapter. I've wanted to write the execution part. Orihime's gonna do something cool here too and she's gonna regain some of her memories. I do apologize for the absence of romance in this chapter. I'm reserving the sweet parts for later.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach and its characters. Rights belong to Tite Kubo. This story is inspired by Disney's film by Tim Burton.

* * *

**Angelice**

Chapter 10: Time for Escape! And Memories Abound!

Down in the depths of the dungeons in Las Noches, Kisuke Urahara was slumped on the cold floor of the cell, chained to a wall by enchanted shackles, as he stared off into space. Loly Aivirrne was imprisoned in the cell next to his. She clung to the iron bars, letting out a frustrated growl. Gazing into the cell across her, where it held no one at the moment, she shrugged and swiftly turned around. That particular cell once held Pesche and Dondochakka. Fortunately for those two, they've managed to get away with Yorouichi's help. She and Urahara weren't so lucky after encountering former captains of the court.

Just then, the sound of light footsteps echoing through the dungeon announced the arrival of Aizen's right-hand man, Gin Ichimaru. Loly immediately whirled around and glared at the silver-haired man, though Gin simply ignored her and moved onto Urahara's cell.

"When's the execution?" Loly questioned, banging on the bars of the cage. "Let's get over with it."

"Why rush to your doom, Loly-san?" Urahara asked, his tone a little cheery to compliment his somewhat mocking smile. "Why don't we have a cup of tea first?"

"No tea time for you," said Gin, smirking. "Such a shame really. I was actually looking forward to having tea with you. Since our dear Captain Aizen very much wishes to see you two dead, I can't do anything about it now. Loly-chan, you gave up your last chance too. Now our dear leader is mad at you. You should blame the Angelice and the others for abandoning you here."

"Don't shit it with us, you fox-faced bastard," barked Loly.

Urahara snickered. "Loly-san's right, you know," he said.

Gin unleashed his sword and extended the blade at Urahara's neck. "I could kill you here right here, right now," he sneered, then retracted his sword. "But where's the fun in that?"

"Are you that anxious to see blood, Captain Ichimaru?" Urahara questioned, still retaining his trademark smirk on his face. There was a mischievous gleam in his eyes, and he clearly felt no fear or anxiety.

Gin scoffed. "What do you think?"

"Just get out of here already, scumbag," Loly exclaimed, crossing her arms. "Your rotten face makes me sick."

"Really now…" Gin let out a sigh as he moved to Loly's cell. "A lady lacking in sensitivity…Not cute at all."

Loly clawed at his neck and pulled him against the cage. "Just shut the fuck up," she demanded, glaring dangerously.

Gin never lost composure, even though Loly was choking the life out of him. He was still smirking, which simply sent chills all throughout her body. When Loly released him and backed away, Gin said, "Have a pleasant day, Loly-chan." He then spun on his heel and started toward the exit.

"Damn bastard," Loly grumbled under her breath. "He really gives me the creeps. Hey, Mr. Hat and Clogs, don't you have any brilliant schemes to get us out of here?"

There was a brief silent pause before Urahara spoke up. "Nope, nadda. We're doomed." And he managed to say that cheerfully.

"WHAT?" Loly shouted out. "You can't be serious, JERK!"

Urahara covered his ears and sang a light song in his head, as soon as Loly started ranting and complaining. "La! La-la! La! Can't hear you Loly-san!" he said out loud, which served to anger Loly even more.

In the morning the next day, Urahara was dusting off his striped hat and trying to get his tattered clothes to look presentable. It was almost time for his execution. He didn't want to go looking like a complete mess.

"So what's the plan?" Loly questioned with a shrug.

A cunning smile appeared on his lips. "Hmmm…What plan? There isn't one."

Loly fisted her hands. "Then you're really planning on getting yourself killed?" She punched the wall of her cell. "Don't fuck with me!"

"There's just no way out of this, Loly-san," Urahara said casually.

"Fuckin' son of a bitch," grumbled Loly, crossing her arms in frustration. "I can't believe you."

Urahara snickered. "We'll just have to wait and see."

Loly's eyes narrowed. She stroked one of her pigtails and thought about his words. "Hmph…Fine then," she said after a moment, "But it's not nice to keep a lady waiting, you know."

"Patience is a virtue, Loly-san," Urahara said humbly.

Two hours later, Urahara and Loly were taken out of their prison cells and down the long walk to the executioner's platform. An audience of Arrancars was gathered to watch them pass, including Nnoitora, who stared at the prisoners with a sadistic smile on his face. The Hollow King, Sousuke Aizen, watched from his high throne.

"It's a pity about all this, Urahara Kisuke. You were rather a brilliant man," Aizen said, his eyes gleamed with no remorse.

"I was, wasn't I?" Urahara replied, showing off a contented smile.

"I would ask you to work with me again, but I simply can't risk it. You are far too dangerous, Former 12th Division Captain."

"I reap what I sow, I guess. If only I was careful enough…" Urahara sighed. "But you were far too cunning for me, Captain Aizen."

Aizen rested his cheek on one hand. "Hmmm…I can say the same thing about you. The rebellion two months ago…To be quite honest I was surprised. Your group managed to annihilate some of my best Arrancars."

"Your Elite Soldiers, the Espada, wasn't it? My, my, they were a tough bunch. You've certainly created monsters, Captain Aizen."

"But you and your group managed to wipe out seven of them."

"It wasn't easy, you know. Besides, I know they're dispensable to you."

Aizen and Urahara stared at each other for a long, quiet moment.

"Well, enough with the chatter. I'm sure you're anxious for your execution," Aizen said.

A group of Calaveras appeared and surrounded him, forming a circle and readying their swords. Rudbornn stepped forward, unsheathing his sword and directing it toward Urahara. "Are you ready to meet your maker, Urahara Kisuke?" the executioner questioned.

"Maybe," Urahara answered with a smile.

Loly watched, willing herself to stay calm despite the nerves. _You've got a plan, right? You're not seriously planning on getting killed, right? SHIT! I don't wanna die here too! _

The executioner raised his sword high in the air and the crowd cheered.

"Shit!" Loly mumbled, closing her eyes. Just then, the crowd quieted down, and in the silence Loly heard a popping-disappearing sound like the sounds in magic tricks. Loly opened her eyes and gasped at what she saw.

Kisuke Urahara's body had been flattened, like a balloon that has been popped.

Loly swallowed. "It's a…."

Gin Ichimaru, who had been watching the execution in the shadows, couldn't help but snicker. "A Gigai, huh? Nice one, Urahara-san."

The Hollows stared in disbelief; even Nnoitora himself couldn't comprehend what just happened.

"Urahara, you bastard," Loly cried in delight.

All hell broke out when explosion came from one place to another. The force shook the grounds, collapsed columns, creating a thick veil of smoke around. A blood curling screech cut through the cries of the Hollows as an oozing purple smoke overwhelmed their senses, destroying their internal organs.

Aizen, aware of the poison that has been unleashed, quickly opened a portal. "Damn you, Urahara Kisuke," he said fiercely. "You've planned this from the beginning."

* * *

It had been another hectic day for training and meditating. She was very glad that Uryuu was the one who handled her training. Though lenient and temperate, Uryuu was an effective instructor. He knew exactly what to say and what to do in order for her to understand better. Her combat abilities had improved greatly, as she was able to handle mid-range and aerial battle with much decorum now. Unfortunately, she has yet to revive Tsubaki, the one with the offensive prowess.

Orihime had gotten to know Rangiku Matsumoto and Momo Hinamori better over dinner that night. She couldn't help but feel mesmerized over Rangiku's beauty and charm, and she considered Hinamori to be so cute. She had fun talking to them, even though it made her miss her best friend in the Real World so much. Uryuu had assured her that he made up an excuse to fool Tatsuki so she wouldn't be worried.

Just after a nice relaxing bath and getting dressed, Orihime was escorted by Uryuu out of the castle to the garden.

"The Divine Queen is waiting for you at the end of the maze," Uryuu said.

Orihime rounded a curve in the hedge maze. Just ahead, lit up by the moonlight, she spotted the Divine Queen sitting on a white bench in the middle of the flower bushes. "Your highness…" Orihime said, walking up to her, then bowing to show her courtesy.

The queen raised her head and looked at her kindly with a smile. "Do you remember me, Orihime-san?" she asked.

The Angelice grimaced. "I'm afraid no…"

"How much do you remember?" the queen asked serenely.

"I remember bits of my childhood here with Uryuu-kun. I remember Las Noches, about the Hollows and Arrancars, about the masks…There are voices in my head, but I can't distinguish them. And Ulquiorra…" she said, shaking her head. "I don't know…but I can tell he's someone really important to me."

"He is important to you," the queen corrected her. "In fact, you share a special bond with him."

"With Ulquiorra?" Orihime clasped her hands together. She had not seen the melancholic Ulquiorra for the whole day. He didn't even bother showing up to her training once.

"You are his light, Orihime-san," the queen said thoughtfully. "When his world was all black and dark, he sat there alone, drowning and suffering…And when you came…you pulled him out of the darkness and into the light."

Orihime's heart skipped a beat. "I…He…" She gripped her upper arm, turning her head away. "Ulquiorra…I want to remember…I want to remember him."

"Orihime-san, nothing will be impossible for you," the queen said, taking her hand in hers. "Nothing…"

Orihime's eyes met the queen's, and they stared at each other for a long, thoughtful moment. She had seen this scene before. Somewhere in the back of her mind was telling her to remember it. "Your Highness…" Closing her eyes, she knelt down on one knee and brought the queen's hand against her temple.

_She was a little girl back then, and she was in trouble. The strong spiritual pressure she possessed within her had made her a target of Hollows. Had the Divine Queen and a man clad in a white cloak not appeared to help, Orihime might have been devoured by those fearsome creatures. The queen had carried a sword, yet she used spells to fight, while the man wielded a spiritual bow and arrows. _

_When the Hollows were vanquished, her shallow wounds were quickly healed by the Divine Queen's power. _

_"Something tells me that we did not run into this girl by accident," the queen said to her companion. _

_"Indeed, my queen," the man replied promptly. "I can sense great power in her." _

_"Um…Thank you," the little girl said, smiling. "Thank you for saving my life." _

_The Divine Queen lifted a gentle hand to her orange head, returning a warm smile. "You are very welcome," she replied._

_"My name's Orihime. Nice to meet you." _

_"Well, it's nice to meet you too, Orihime-san." The queen knelt down, taking hold of the girl's hands. " I am Unohana Retsu and this is my good friend," she said, gesturing a hand toward her companion, "Ishida Ryuuken, a Quincy." _

_The young girl's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "You two are strong. You were able to beat those mean Hollows." _

_The queen looked thoughtful all of a sudden. "Orihime-san, about those Hollows—"_

_"Orihime!" _

_A man dressed in a worn-out kimono had come running toward them. He had a dark, unruly mane, and a tall, slim built. _

_"Oh, it's Onii-chan!" Orihime chirped, lunging toward her brother for a hug. _

_Letting out a sigh of relief, the man knelt down and hugged her tightly. "I'm so glad you're all right, Orihime." _

_Orihime giggled as she slightly pulled away to face him. "I'm perfectly fine. Unohana-san and Ishida-san saved me, you know. You should have seen them. They were amazing." _

_"I see…Then I have to thank them." He released the little girl and looked up at the two people responsible for saving her. He then fell silent for a short moment due to shock. Finally he bowed down, forehead almost hitting the ground, and said, "Your Highness! Ishida-sama!" _

_"Onii-chan, what are you doing?" Orihime asked curiously. _

_"For saving my little sister from the Hollows, you have my eternal gratitude. But I do sincerely apologize for troubling you," the brother said. _

_"My, there is no need for formalities," the queen said kindly. "It is our duty to help those in need. Now please raise your head and tell me your name." _

_The man took a deep breath and slowly raised his head to meet the queen's pristine blue eyes. "My name is Sora, Your Highness." _

Orihime snapped back to reality and stared at the queen with a smile on her face. The queen watched her with those same kind eyes like before, gracing her with warmth and sincerity. Orihime remembered the Divine Queen clearly now. She remembered Ryuuken Ishida. More importantly, she remembered her big brother from this world. Her memories of this world were real and so were the memories from the other world. She was beginning to understand Ulquiorra's words.

"I knew you were special the moment I laid eyes on you," the queen said, recalling their first meeting.

Orihime stood up and looked up at the starry sky. "It was on a night such as this when you brought us to your castle," she said. "You had us trained, educated…and my brother and I did our very best every day. We were just nobodies without a home before, so we were so grateful that you came into our lives, Your Highness."

"I only did what was right and it was for you own sake as well," the queen explained.

"My brother and I were half-siblings. Am I right?"

The queen simply nodded. "Born from different mothers."

"Yet he loved me wholeheartedly."

"He loved you more than life itself, Orihime-san."

"I know…" Orihime said, thinking of her brother's face and smile. "Onii-chan's mother died when she gave birth to him, so otou-san raised him on his own. Otou-san met my mother when Onii-chan turned 13. They fell in love, then…"

"Their love gave birth to you," the queen continued.

"Mother, a Metherlance, was one of the Four Sacred Gods. Therefore, she was forbidden to see me after she gave birth. Those are the rules up there and we can't change that. Onii-chan explained it to me before."

"Yes, rules are absolute in the realm of the gods," the queen said.

Orihime let out a sigh. "Sadly, because of the powers I possessed, the spiritual powers I inherited from my mother, Hollows would come to try and eat me. On the day I turned three, my father died while protecting me and my brother from a vicious attack." She slightly winced at the memory. "It's not something I'd like to remember, but it's engraved in my memories."

10 petals of her hairpin shone brightly. One by one the petals dispersed and transformed into fairies. Shun'o, Ayame, Lily, Baigon and Hinagiku floated around her, giving her their smiles—a sign of their everlasting support for her. Orihime felt nostalgic with the memories flowing into her like a stream. Her childhood, her time spent in the castle together with the Divine Queen, Uryuu and Ryuuken—all of it were coming back to her.

She had first met Uryuu on the day she came to the castle. He was still a Quincy-in-training at that time and his father, Ryuuken Ishida, was his teacher. Ryuuken served under the Divine Queen as the 1st Knight of the Royal Guards. To be head of the Quincy clan and a 1st Knight seemed to be a difficult task, Orihime thought, but Ryuuken was a great and dependable leader, with high-end skills regarded by the best veterans in all of Soul Society. Ryuuken's Spartan-like training forged a warrior out of Uryuu. Orihime had witnessed Uryuu's growth herself and it was splendid.

Uryuu had always been shy around her at first, blushing every time she got close to him, but Orihime didn't mind it. The young archer gradually warmed up to her and they became closer than ever. As children they would always find time to play games, especially during breaks from training, and they'd study together. They were rarely seen apart in the castle grounds.

_"You've done it, Uryuu-kun!" young Orihime cheered, raising a fist in excitement. "You've finally mastered that technique! I'm so happy for you!" _

_The bespectacled boy put away his spiritual bow and faced Orihime with a shy grin. "T-Thank you, Orihime-san," he muttered, scratching the back of his head. _

_Orihime hooked his arm with hers and leaned her head on his shoulder. "See what you can do if you try hard?" she said, giggling. "That was the fruit of your determination!" _

_Uryuu was blushing madly at the closeness. "Um…Yeah…" He swallowed hard. "It was all made possible because of your support, Orihime-san. I'm really grateful." _

_"I just cheered you on. You should give yourself a little more credit." She hopped away from him, twirled twice, before facing him again. "By the way, since you're done with yours, I can now show you the results of my training." She winked an eye at him. _

_"I'm looking forward to it, Orihime-san." _

_"Here I go!" Orihime shouted out, raising her arms into the air. "I now summon!" _

_Uryuu blinked in surprise as Orihime's body glowed in a warm, orange light. The wind picked up, breezing through them calmly, then around Orihime, as she positioned her hands in a triangular manner. _

_"Shun'o, Ayame!" Orihime uttered, and two streams of light flew out from behind her and swirled around Uryuu. "Now I call upon Hinagiku, Baigon, and Lily!" Three more streaks of light came out and took flight in mid-air. _

_"What kind of creatures is she summoning?" Uryuu asked silently as he maintained his focus on Orihime. Her spiritual power was overflowing, yet it wasn't wild like a storm. It was gentle, light, and soothing, just as it always was, just like her. "Orihime-san…" _

_"And lastly…" A small golden orb formed in between her hands. "Tsubaki!" The orb flew out instantly the moment she called out the name. _

Orihime touched her beloved hairpins and raised her chin with dignity. "I understand it now…Tsubaki-kun is…" Two petals of her hairpin glowed and took off. "Tsubaki-kun is…"

The Divine Queen felt her power increasing. "Yes, he is none other than…"

_"Orihime, your new friends are your own power. Each of them represents a part of who you are…" _Her brother words echoed in her mind. _"Hinagiku is earnest and quick, Baigon is calm yet strong, while Lily symbolizes your charms and assertiveness." _

_"I think Shun'o represents your compassion and sincerity, Orihime-san." _This time it was Uryuu's voice. _"Ayame-chan seems to be the embodiment of your innocent and gentle personality." _

A violent gale surrounded Orihime and the Divine Queen, whipping the leaves and petals around. All of a sudden Ulquiorra swooped down toward her for an attack. However, Orihime seemed to have anticipated this and had Hinagiku, Baigon and Lily to block the strike. "Ulquiorra, I finally understand the Shun Shun Rikka. I know how to use Tsubaki-kun now," she said, smiling up at Ulquiorra, whose blade was still pressed against her shield.

"Then tell me what part of you does he represent?" Ulquiorra questioned, backing away and landing gracefully on the ground.

Dispersing the shield, Orihime spun around on her heel. "Tsubaki-kun is…" She slightly raised a hand, then swung her arm forward, unleashing a streak of orange light toward Ulquiorra.

Ulquiorra, biting back his bewilderment, blocked the arrow-like light meant to hit him, but the force was ridiculously strong. He was gradually being pushed back. Not a minute too soon Ulquiorra deflected the projectile to the right, jumping away at the same time. "So…You've finally found it, woman," he muttered, his cold green eyes meeting hers.

The projectile flew around Orihime and materialized on top of her open palm. The black-haired fairy-like creature crossed his arms and raised his chin with pride. "Yes, that's right," she said. "Tsubaki-kun is my flaming resolve…"

_To be continued…_

* * *

**JC: **Wah! I can't believe I finish chapter 10. It took me so long. I've been banging my head on the table because of this stupid writer's block. I tried to find inspirations to prompt me to continue this, but I couldn't until days later. My readers, I sincerely apologize for the delay again. I can't really do much if I'm not inspired. But I swear that I'm not gonna stop until I finish this story no matter what. Glad I finally wrote the execution part. I find it pleasing to write about Urahara for some reason. I just enjoy his personality. Oh, and Tsubaki's finally AWAKE! Hehe…Please do review. No flaming, okay?


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